By Chidi Ugwu
Nigeria Tuesday recorded another historic diplomatic and institutional milestone as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), under the leadership of the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed officially inaugurated the Executive Secretariat of the African Association of Road Safety Lead Agencies (AARSLA) and the West African Road Safety Organisation (WARSO) at the National Headquarters of the Corps in Abuja, positioning the country at the very heart of Africa’s road safety governance and continental mobility coordination.
The landmark event, hosted by the Corps Marshal on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, attracted members of the diplomatic community, international development partners, representatives of the African Union, and high-level delegates from across the African continent, in what observers described as a defining moment for Nigeria’s growing influence in regional integration, transport safety leadership, and institutional diplomacy.
Osondu Ohaeri, Deputy Corps Commander, and Corps Public Education Officer, in a statement Tuesday said the Secretariat was commissioned on behalf of the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, by the Honourable Commissioner representing Plateau State, Hon. Pam Bot-Mang, who described the development as a bold continental step toward safer roads, stronger institutions, and harmonised transport governance across Africa.
In her keynote address, Hon. Omidiran noted that road safety remains a shared African challenge requiring coordinated action, strategic partnerships, and innovative solutions. She commended the FRSC for securing Nigeria’s emergence as host nation of the Secretariat, describing it as a reflection of the country’s leadership role in advancing sustainable mobility and road safety administration on the continent.
The inauguration brought together major continental stakeholders including the President of AARSLA, Nashow Kondiwa; Representative of the SSATP/World Bank, Ms. Marisela Ponche de Leon Valdes; Honourable Zunu Duntann of Liberia; Mr. Ariel Sacramento of Benin Republic; Mr. Tou Siaka of Côte d’Ivoire; and Mr. Sheriff Abou of Sierra Leone, among several other foreign delegates and technical partners committed to reducing road traffic fatalities in Africa.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Corps Marshal described the inauguration as more than the commissioning of a physical structure, but “a bold affirmation of Africa’s collective resolve to safeguard lives, strengthen institutions, and advance sustainable mobility across the continent.”
He stated that the establishment of the Secretariat aligns strongly with the foreign policy direction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, particularly the Renewed Hope Agenda which prioritises regional cooperation, institutional strengthening, safety, and improved quality of life for citizens. According to him, the Secretariat represents a strategic platform for exchange, learning, advocacy, technical cooperation, and capacity building among African nations.
The newly inaugurated Secretariat is expected to serve as a continental hub for research, policy harmonisation, innovation, training, data management, and strategic collaboration among road safety agencies in Africa, while also advancing the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063 and global road safety targets.
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