FRSC Backs Tinubu’s CNG, EV Drive, Says Transport Transition Will Create Jobs

Bennett Oghifo 

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has thrown the agency’s weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Electric Vehicles (EVs), describing the programme as a major catalyst for economic growth, job creation and the transformation of Nigeria’s transport sector.

Speaking during an interview at the 2026 Nigeria Auto Industry Summit (NAISU), organised by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA), Mohammed said the initiative represents a strategic step towards building a cleaner, safer and more sustainable transportation ecosystem while attracting significant private sector investment into the country.

He noted that the presidential initiative is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on climate action, environmental sustainability and the development of efficient transport systems.

The FRSC boss commended President Tinubu for championing the transition to cleaner energy in transportation and for assigning the road safety agency a critical role in implementing the programme.

According to him, the initiative has already begun to reshape Nigeria’s automotive landscape by attracting investors into the production and assembly of CNG-powered and electric vehicles, while encouraging the local manufacture of essential components.

“This initiative has brought in so many investments. We now have assembly plants producing electric vehicles and CNG vehicles. Companies are manufacturing CNG cylinders and conversion kits, while new technologies are creating opportunities for our young people,” Mohammed said.

He stressed that the ongoing investments would significantly contribute to addressing unemployment, explaining that the emerging green mobility industry is opening up new employment opportunities across manufacturing, engineering, maintenance, logistics and technology.

“It is a massive investment coming into Nigeria, and it is producing massive jobs for the unemployment challenge we have,” he added.

Mohammed also linked the federal government’s alternative energy transport policy with its ongoing infrastructure development agenda, citing flagship projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway.

According to him, these large-scale road projects, combined with the shift towards cleaner vehicle technology, will create a safer, more efficient and integrated national transportation network capable of supporting long-term economic development.

He expressed confidence that the initiatives would help Nigeria move closer to achieving the United Nations target of providing safe, accessible, affordable, reliable and sustainable transportation for all citizens by the year 2030.

While highlighting the FRSC’s commitment to safer roads, Mohammed maintained that reducing road crashes and fatalities cannot be achieved by the agency alone, insisting that road safety must become a shared national responsibility involving every segment of society.

He said governments at all levels, traditional institutions, community leaders, transport unions, civil society organisations and individual road users all have critical roles to play in changing unsafe road behaviour.

“Road safety should not be left to the FRSC alone. It should be a collective responsibility for all Nigerians,” he said.

The Corps Marshal observed that although the FRSC has sustained nationwide public enlightenment campaigns for over three decades, the corps has continued to refine its communication strategy to achieve greater impact.

He disclosed that the agency has increasingly shifted its awareness campaigns from conventional motor park engagements to grassroots town hall meetings, enabling it to interact directly with drivers, passengers and community stakeholders.

According to him, such community-based engagements encourage greater ownership of road safety campaigns and promote behavioural change among motorists.

Mohammed urged members of the public not to remain silent whenever they observe dangerous driving habits.

“When you see a bad driving culture, stop the person and tell him. Let him be embarrassed. It is a shared responsibility,” he said.

He expressed concern over persistent traffic offences such as excessive speeding, overloading and the dangerous practice of conveying passengers alongside goods and livestock in the same vehicle, noting that these violations continue to account for a significant proportion of road crashes across the country.

The FRSC boss also appealed to passengers to become active participants in promoting road safety by speaking out whenever drivers engage in reckless conduct, especially overspeeding, stressing that timely intervention could save lives.

Mohammed commended the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association and the wider media for consistently supporting the corps’ public enlightenment efforts, describing journalists as strategic partners in the campaign to reduce road traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries.

He called for deeper collaboration between the FRSC and media organisations to help Nigeria achieve the target of cutting road traffic deaths and injuries by 50 per cent before 2030.

Reflecting on his tenure, Mohammed said he hopes to be remembered for strengthening partnerships, embracing technology-driven operations, investing in personnel development and building stronger institutional collaboration.

“The legacy I want to leave is partnership, collaboration and bringing out the best of FRSC staff to serve Nigerians and project the image of the corps,” he said.