Motor Vehicle Administration must put safety over revenue – Oche

A transport and safety expert, Dr Emmanuel Oche, has called on governments to place road safety above revenue generation in the administration of motor vehicles.

Oche made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Annual National Conference of Directors and Chief Road Traffic Officers of the Federation.

The two-day conference is themed, “Repositioning Motor Vehicle Administration for Safer Roads: Challenges and the Way Forward”.

He said vehicle registration, inspection, driver testing and licensing should be driven primarily by the need to save lives, rather than generate revenue.

According to him, the conference offered an opportunity to examine whether existing motor vehicle administration practices were effectively reducing road crashes and deaths.

Oche cited figures attributed to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), which put annual road crash deaths at about 5,000 and 38,000, respectively.

He said the figures highlighted the urgent need for stronger measures to improve road safety and reduce fatalities.

“Revenue is very important, but it should be a consequence, not the focus,” he said.

Oche described transportation as a gateway to opportunities, noting that efficient mobility was essential to economic growth and national development.

He called for the restoration of the professional identity of motor vehicle administration institutions through specialised training, technical expertise and modern technology.

He identified vehicle inspection, driver training and testing, licensing, traffic management, enforcement and transport planning as areas requiring professional competence.

Earlier, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Transportation Secretariat, Charles Elechi, said effective road transportation required sound regulation, professional administration, technology and enforcement, beyond infrastructure development.

Elechi, who declared the conference open, said governments must ensure that vehicles were roadworthy, drivers properly licensed and regulatory institutions adequately equipped.

He identified inadequate investment in inspection facilities, inconsistent standards, fragmented data systems and low public awareness as challenges requiring urgent attention.

He advocated stronger institutional capacity, improved data sharing and technology-driven systems to enhance vehicle inspection and driver licensing.

Elechi also called for lawful, transparent and accountable enforcement, supported by appropriate technology and uniform standards across states.

The National Chairman of the conference, Durojaye Olalekan, said weaknesses in driver licensing and vehicle inspection had exposed serious gaps in the motor vehicle administration system.

Olalekan expressed concern that the sector was often treated mainly as a source of revenue rather than a professional system designed to protect lives.

He blamed inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, limited capacity building, low staff morale and corrupt practices for undermining regulatory effectiveness.

He urged state governments to invest in modern facilities, skilled personnel and appropriate legislation, while promoting digital platforms and reliable databases to strengthen transparency, accountability and compliance.

Olalekan also raised concerns about misinformation and hostility towards Vehicle Inspection Officers on social media, while acknowledging the need for professionalism and accountability among enforcement personnel.

He urged participants to translate the conference’s resolutions into practical reforms, stressing that its success would be measured by the actions taken after the meeting.

The Director of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Abubakar Yeldu, called for coordinated government action to strengthen enforcement and rebuild public confidence in regulatory institutions.

Yeldu warned that intimidation of enforcement personnel could weaken compliance with traffic regulations and expose road users to greater risks.

He called for investment in personnel development, modern inspection facilities and technology-based regulatory systems, emphasising that enforcement must remain lawful and accountable.

The conference, which ends on Wednesday, brought together directors and chief road traffic officers from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to discuss strategies for improving motor vehicle administration and road safety.

The event also featured the presentation of awards to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and other contributors to motor vehicle administration.