The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is set to launch a nationwide film-based advocacy campaign targeting young Nigerians, in a renewed effort to curb the alarming rate of road traffic accidents.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, the Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, expressed deep concern over the global toll of road crashes, revealing that over one million youths worldwide die annually in road-related incidents. He emphasized the urgent need for innovative approaches to reverse the trend in Nigeria.
As part of this initiative, the FRSC will introduce the “Drive Right, Drive Smart: Road Safety Film Festival”, a creative platform designed to leverage the power of entertainment, storytelling, and digital media to promote responsible road behavior among young people.
Mallam Mohammed explained that the campaign aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, which aims to reduce road crashes by 50 percent. The festival will feature youth-led content creation, dramatizations of real-life road scenarios, prizes for outstanding entries, and collaborations with influencers to spread the safety message across digital platforms.
“We are calling on filmmakers, skit makers, content creators, and media influencers to partner with us in reshaping road safety culture through the lens of creativity and digital storytelling,” he said.
Lending support to the initiative, President of I Am the Future of Nigeria (IFON), Nonni Okocha, urged young Nigerians to see road safety as a national cause. She described the partnership with FRSC as a landmark step in transforming awareness into action through compelling content, particularly in an era where digital media is a powerful force among youth.
“Road safety is a shared responsibility,” Okocha said, calling on schools, communities, government agencies, celebrities, and the media to support the campaign.
Also pledging support, President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Dr. Emeka Rollas, described the campaign as a much-needed intervention. “Every day, families are shattered by preventable road crashes. This initiative speaks where lectures often fail,” he said. Rollas urged members of the entertainment industry to use their platforms to champion the road safety message and mentor young talents involved in the project.
The film festival is expected to roll out nationwide in the coming months, marking a significant shift in how road safety education is delivered to Nigeria’s digital generation.