The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has released its latest Road Transport Data for the first quarter of 2026, revealing a total of 2,720 road traffic crashes across Nigeria. This figure represents a marginal decline of 0.40 percent compared to the 2,731 crashes recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025. However, it also indicates a 2.64 percent increase when compared to the 2,650 crashes recorded during the same period in 2025.
Crash Severity Breakdown
The report, which relies on data provided by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), shows that serious crashes accounted for the highest number of incidents during the quarter under review, with 1,761 cases. Fatal crashes stood at 714, while minor crashes were the least recorded, with 245 cases.
Gender Disparity in Fatalities and Injuries
Analysis of fatalities reveals that men accounted for the majority of deaths arising from road crashes in the quarter. A total of 1,076 male deaths were recorded, representing 79.88 percent of total fatalities, while 271 females lost their lives, accounting for 20.12 percent. Similarly, the report shows that 6,547 males sustained injuries in road crashes during the quarter, representing 76.35 percent of injured persons, while 2,028 females were injured, accounting for 23.65 percent.
Vehicles Involved and Zonal Distribution
The number of vehicles involved in crashes rose slightly to 4,078 in Q1 2026, compared to 4,059 vehicles recorded in Q4 2025. A zonal breakdown of the data shows that the North-Central region recorded the highest number of road crashes with 752 cases, followed by the South-West with 699 cases. The South-South zone recorded the least number of crashes with 137 cases. In terms of casualties, the North-West recorded the highest number with 2,675 casualties, followed by the North-Central with 2,544 casualties, while the South-South had the least with 402 casualties.
