The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has warned that vehicle overloading is a major factor contributing to road crashes, vehicle deterioration and the premature damage of road infrastructure across Nigeria.
Mohammed gave the warning in Abuja during the National Breakfast Policy Dialogue and the launch of the National Movement for Safe Loading and Safe Roads.
He said the dangers associated with overloading go beyond the weight of cargo, stressing that the type of goods being transported, how they are combined, positioned, secured and distributed also determine the level of risk on the road.
According to him, unsafe loading practices can compromise a vehicle’s braking, steering and stability, thereby increasing the likelihood of crashes and endangering drivers, passengers and other road users.
He described overloading and other unsafe loading practices as preventable risks that must be addressed before vehicles are allowed onto Nigerian roads.
Mohammed said overloading should no longer be viewed merely as a traffic violation, but as a road safety, infrastructure, logistics and economic development issue.
He identified the improper combination of passengers and cargo, transportation of incompatible or dangerous materials, and poorly distributed or inadequately secured loads as major safety concerns.
The FRSC boss said the problem was particularly significant in the haulage and logistics sector, where pressure to maximise every journey could encourage operators to exceed safe loading limits.
He stressed that commercial interests should never take precedence over human lives.
“We must make it clear that no reduction in transportation costs or commercial benefits is worth the loss of human lives,” he said.
Mohammed noted that Nigeria’s economy relies heavily on the safe transportation of agricultural produce, raw materials, manufactured goods, fuel and other essential commodities, making responsible loading practices critical to economic activity.
He explained that the consequences of overloading affect different parts of the economy.
“When overloading damages our roads, government bears the cost. When it damages vehicles, operators bear the cost. When it delays the movement of goods, businesses and consumers bear the cost. But when it causes a fatal crash, a Nigerian family bears the cost that money can never replace,” he said.
The Corps Marshal called for shared responsibility across the transportation value chain, including cargo owners, shippers, loading agents, transporters, fleet operators, drivers, regulators and government.
He urged cargo owners and shippers to accurately declare the weight of goods and insist on safe loading, while operators should properly maintain their vehicles and comply with approved weight limits.
Mohammed also urged drivers to reject unsafe, improperly mixed or inadequately secured loads, while calling on regulators to improve coordination, weighing infrastructure, load management, data sharing and enforcement.
He assured that the FRSC would continue to strengthen enforcement, public education and stakeholder engagement, while expanding intelligence-led operations and the use of technology and data to improve compliance with safe loading standards.
