Nigeria Named Host of African Road Safety Secretariat in Abuja
Nigeria has been named the host of the African Association of Road Safety Lead Agencies (AARSLA) and the West African Road Safety Organisation (WARSO) Secretariat, following its official commissioning at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The event, hosted by FRSC Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, brought together members of the diplomatic community, international development partners, African Union representatives, and high-level delegates from across the continent.
Observers described the commissioning as a defining moment for Nigeria’s growing influence in regional integration, transport safety, and institutional diplomacy.
Commissioning the Secretariat on behalf of the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, Commissioner representing Plateau State Hon. Pam Bot-Mang called it “a bold continental step toward safer roads, stronger institutions, and harmonised transport governance across Africa.”
Read Also:
In her keynote, Hon. Omidiran said road safety remains a shared African challenge that requires coordinated action and innovation. “Nigeria’s emergence as host reflects its leadership role in advancing sustainable mobility and road safety administration on the continent,” she said.
The inauguration drew key continental stakeholders, including AARSLA President Nashow Kondiwa, SSATP/World Bank representative Ms. Marisela Ponche de Leon Valdes, Hon. Zunu Duntann of Liberia, and officials from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone, among others.
Corps Marshal Mohammed said the Secretariat is more than a physical structure. “It is a bold affirmation of Africa’s collective resolve to safeguard lives, strengthen institutions, and advance sustainable mobility across the continent,” he said.
He added that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises regional cooperation, institutional strengthening, and improved quality of life.
The Secretariat will serve as a continental hub for research, policy harmonisation, training, data management, and strategic collaboration among African road safety agencies. It is expected to advance the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063 and global road safety targets.
