By John Dike, Osogbo
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has entered into a strategic partnership with Dangote Cement Transport to enforce stricter safety policies and improve operational standards across the company’s expansive logistics operations.
This initiative comes in response to growing public concern over the alarming frequency of accidents involving Dangote trucks on Nigerian highways.
As part of the collaborative effort, FRSC Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, mni, held a high-level meeting with the management of Dangote Cement Transport, led by Mr. Murillo Silva, at the Corps’ National Headquarters in Abuja.
Key highlights of the meeting included the development of a structured training and retraining programme for Dangote drivers, aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), to enhance their professionalism and road competence.
Both parties also discussed enforcing strict vehicle maintenance schedules and ensuring the installation of critical safety devices in Dangote trucks to reduce mechanical failures—a known factor in many articulated vehicle crashes.
The FRSC emphasised the urgency of developing joint safety initiatives that not only address internal challenges within Dangote’s fleet but also set a national benchmark for responsible fleet management across Nigeria.
Speaking at the meeting, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed described the engagement as a proactive response to public safety concerns and a commitment to saving lives.
“This engagement is more than a response to recent incidents; it is a proactive step to ensure that lives are saved, confidence is restored, and the Nigerian motoring public is assured of safer highways,” he stated.
“The FRSC and Dangote Cement Transport share a common responsibility, and together we must drive down crash statistics by investing in training, compliance, and innovation.”
According to Olusegun Ogungbemide, Assistant Corps Marshal and Corps Public Education Officer, the partnership reflects FRSC’s broader commitment to corporate collaboration as a means of strengthening road safety nationwide.
The collaboration with Dangote Cement is part of the FRSC’s broader strategy to curb road crashes, especially those involving articulated vehicles, which represent a high-risk category on Nigerian highways.
In recent months, the Corps has rolled out driver recertification programmes, conducted nationwide vehicle inspections, and launched public enlightenment campaigns. These efforts aim to improve driver behavior, enforce traffic regulations, and promote a culture of safety-first driving.
The FRSC’s certified training programmes now incorporate globally accepted defensive driving techniques, safety compliance frameworks, and modern regulatory standards.
The Corps Marshal urged other corporate fleet operators to emulate Dangote Cement’s leadership by opening their systems to safety audits and staff capacity building.
“Saving lives on Nigerian roads remains our overriding priority. We call on all fleet operators and corporate organisations to open up their operations for safety audits, training, and strict compliance with national safety standards,” he said.
The FRSC reaffirmed its dedication to stakeholder partnerships that promote accountability, transparency, and responsible corporate conduct in the transport sector.
