Corps Marshal launches national movement for safe loading and safe roads
The Federal Road Safety Corps has warned that vehicle overloading poses a serious threat to lives, damages road infrastructure and undermines Nigeria’s transportation and economic systems.
The Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, gave the warning on Thursday at the National Breakfast Policy Dialogue and launch of the National Movement for Safe Loading and Safe Roads.
Mohammed said overloading should no longer be viewed merely as a traffic offence, stressing that it had wider implications for road safety, infrastructure, logistics and economic development.
“Vehicle overloading is not simply a traffic violation. It is a road safety, infrastructure, logistics and economic development issue,” he said.
Overloading Raises Crash Risks
According to the Corps Marshal, excessive loads can compromise a vehicle’s braking, steering and stability, while accelerating wear and tear and increasing the likelihood of crashes.
He also warned against improper loading, noting that the danger was not limited to the weight of cargo but also involved what was being transported, how different materials were combined and how the load was positioned and secured.
He said the combination of passengers and cargo, incompatible or dangerous materials, as well as poorly secured or unevenly distributed loads, could put drivers, passengers and other road users at serious risk.
‘No Commercial Gain Is Worth a Human Life’
Mohammed said the problem was particularly prevalent in the haulage and logistics sector, where pressure to maximise profits from each trip could encourage operators to exceed approved vehicle capacity.
He maintained that no reduction in transportation costs or commercial benefit justified practices capable of endangering human lives.
According to him, vehicles should only carry loads they were designed, licensed and safely configured to transport.
Mohammed also stressed that road safety was essential to Nigeria’s economic growth, given the country’s dependence on road transport for moving agricultural produce, raw materials, manufactured goods, fuel and other essential commodities.
“A safe transportation system is therefore not an impediment to economic development; it is a foundation for it,” he said.
Overloading Comes With Wider Economic Costs
The FRSC boss said the consequences of overloading were felt across the economy.
He explained that government bore the cost when overloaded vehicles damaged roads, while transport operators faced increased vehicle maintenance costs and businesses and consumers suffered when the movement of goods was delayed.
More importantly, he said, families paid the greatest price when overloading contributed to fatal crashes.
“When it causes a fatal crash, a Nigerian family bears a cost that money cannot replace,” Mohammed said.
FRSC Seeks Shared Responsibility
Mohammed said enforcement alone would not eliminate vehicle overloading, calling for greater responsibility among cargo owners, shippers, loading agents, transporters, fleet operators, drivers, regulators and government agencies.
He urged cargo owners and shippers to accurately declare the weight of goods and insist on proper loading, while transport operators were advised to maintain their vehicles and comply with approved weight limits.
Drivers, he added, should reject unsafe, improperly mixed or inadequately secured loads.
The Corps Marshal said the FRSC would strengthen enforcement, public education, stakeholder engagement and intelligence-led operations, while deploying technology and data to improve compliance.
Safe Loading Campaign Gets National Push
Mohammed said the National Movement for Safe Loading and Safe Roads should not be regarded as an FRSC initiative alone.
He described it as a national effort requiring the involvement of government, transport operators, drivers, regulators, professional bodies, civil society organisations, development partners and the media.
He said the initiative would culminate in the adoption and signing of the Abuja Declaration 2026, which he described as a national compact designed to establish clear responsibilities, measurable commitments, timelines and mechanisms for monitoring progress.
The Corps Marshal urged all stakeholders to support the initiative, stressing that safer loading practices would help protect lives, preserve road infrastructure and strengthen the efficiency of Nigeria’s transportation system.
