The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclosed that 5,289 people, including foreigners, died from the 10,446 road crashes that occurred across the country in 2025, a statistic indicating a slight reduction in the number of deaths recorded in the previous year.
According to the statistics released by the agency, there is an increase in road usage, risky driving habits and traffic violations, which contributed to the surge in recorded crashes, even as emergency response timing helped limit the death toll.
The figures, contained in the corps’ 2025 annual and festive-season road traffic data, were presented on Wednesday during the official unveiling of the report in Abuja, which also reviewed traffic trends during the December festive travel period.
Addressing guests at the event, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said, “Total Road crashes increased by 9.2 per cent, rising from 9,570 in 2024 to 10,446 in 2025.”
The FRSC boss added that serious crashes grew to 6,772 cases, while minor crashes rose sharply to 1,066.
“The number of injured persons climbed to 33,400, a 7.2 per cent increase, while fatalities reduced slightly from 5,421 to 5,289, representing a 2.4 per cent decline.”
Mohammed noted that while the reduction in deaths pointed to better post-crash intervention, it fell short of expectations.
“This confirms that our post-crash response is improving, but the real challenge remains prevention, compliance and deterrence,” he said.
He further disclosed that traffic offences and arrests rose significantly in 2025, attributing the trend to stronger patrols and enhanced enforcement.
The corps marshal also revealed that the December festive travel period recorded higher crash figures, with several highways, including Zuba–Kaduna–Zaria, Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Potiskum and Abuja–Lokoja, accounting for a high number of fatalities.
“Most of these crashes were avoidable and were caused by speeding, dangerous overtaking, tyre bursts and brake failure,” he said, stressing that speeding alone accounted for 41 per cent of crashes during the period.
In response to the findings, the FRSC announced tougher measures for 2026, including intelligence-driven enforcement, zero tolerance for major traffic violations and stricter speed control for commercial vehicles, as the corps shifts focus from emergency response to crash prevention and safer road behaviour nationwide.
