1,347 Killed in Road Crashes Nationwide in First Three Months of 2026
Nigeria recorded 1,347 deaths from road traffic crashes in the first three months of 2026, alongside thousands of injuries across the country, according to fresh data released on Tuesday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The report showed that 2,720 road traffic crashes were recorded between January and March 2026. This represents a 2.64 per cent increase compared to 2,650 crashes recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. However, it reflects a marginal decline of 0.40 per cent when compared to the 2,731 crashes reported in the last quarter of 2025, indicating continued road safety concerns.
Of the total incidents recorded, 1,761 were classified as serious crashes, 714 were fatal, while 245 were minor. Altogether, the crashes resulted in 8,575 injuries nationwide. A total of 4,078 vehicles were involved in road accidents during the period, slightly higher than the 4,059 recorded in the previous quarter.
The data further revealed a strong gender disparity in casualties. Out of the 1,347 persons killed, 1,076 were males, representing 79.88 per cent, while 271 were females. Of the 8,575 injured persons, 6,547 were men, accounting for 76.35 per cent, while 2,028 were women. Geographically, the North-Central zone recorded the highest number of crashes with 752 cases, while the South-South recorded the lowest with 137. In terms of casualties, the North-West led with 2,675, followed by the North-Central with 2,544, while the South-South recorded the least with 402.
The report comes amid growing concerns over reckless driving, speeding, poor road conditions, overloading, and weak enforcement of traffic regulations across the country.