“Safety Over Profit” — FRSC Warns Driving Schools as Nationwide Training Begins

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has cautioned driving school proprietors and instructors against prioritising financial gains at the expense of safety, warning that such practices weaken training standards and contribute to road crashes.

The Deputy Corps Marshal (Training), Abiodun Akinlade, issued the warning during the 2026 Annual Mandatory Training Workshop for driving school proprietors and instructors.

The workshop, organised under the Driving School Standardisation Programme (DSSP), is scheduled to run from April 29 to May 15 across eight centres nationwide to ensure wider participation.

Akinlade emphasised that professional driver education remains essential for safer roads, noting that globally, quality training significantly reduces crashes, injuries, and fatalities. He, however, lamented that many road accidents in Nigeria are still driven by human factors such as poor knowledge, inadequate training, and weak safety culture.

“This trend highlights the urgent need to strengthen systems that produce competent, responsible, and safety-conscious drivers,” he said.

He explained that the DSSP was introduced to enforce compliance with approved standards and align driver education with global best practices. According to him, driving schools serve as the foundation of road safety, with proprietors and instructors acting as custodians of safe driving culture.

“You must give priority to the safety of road users above income and resist any temptation to circumvent established processes for financial gain,” Akinlade warned, adding that unethical practices ultimately lead to increased road traffic crashes.

While acknowledging that income sustains business operations, he stressed that human life remains sacred and should never be compromised.

Akinlade also expressed appreciation to the FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, for approving the workshop, describing it as a strategic platform for strengthening driver education nationwide.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Uduma Uduma, described road safety as a critical public health issue requiring sustained collaboration.

Represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Shehu Adamu, Uduma commended the FRSC for its continued efforts in improving driver education through the DSSP.

“Road safety should not be viewed solely as a transport issue but as a major public health concern,” he said, noting that the quality of driver training directly impacts the safety of millions of road users.

The workshop, themed “Professional Driver Education Using Innovative Training Models to Improve Road Safety and Reduce Fatalities in Nigeria,” will feature sessions on driving school administration and global best practices.