
Death trap roads: A national emergency
Nigeria’s road infrastructure has deteriorated to the point where it can no longer be regarded as a mere transportation issue; it has become a full-blown national emergency. The latest report from SB Morgem Intelligence paints a grim picture of the nation’s highways, which have transformed from vital arteries of commerce into perilous corridors that claim the lives of thousands.
With 84.6 percent of respondents reporting security incidents along their travel routes and 58 percent perceiving the roads as unsafe, it is clear that Nigeria’s transportation crisis extends far beyond poor road conditions. It has escalated into an epidemic of death, economic instability, and systemic governance failure.
This crisis is not just about lives lost in preventable accidents; it is about national development being stifled by an inadequate infrastructure system. Roads that should facilitate the movement of goods and people are, instead, preventing progress and trapping the country in a cycle of inefficiency.
Major routes, such as the Port Harcourt-Warri road—once critical to the nation’s economic flow—now rival the infamous Abuja-Kaduna highway in terms of danger, undermining the nation’s commitment to infrastructure development. Cities like Lagos, Maiduguri, and Port Harcourt, which serve as economic lifelines, have become hotspots for insecurity and infrastructure collapse.
The economic consequences of this deteriorating road network are devastating. According to the SBM report, nearly half of transport operators face higher maintenance costs and shorter vehicle life spans due to the appalling state of the roads. These increased costs, compounded by persistent insecurity, have driven transport fares to unsustainable levels, with 85.7 percent of operators raising prices just to stay afloat.
This not only burdens ordinary Nigerians but also cripples the productivity of businesses, particularly those dependent on road transport for the movement of goods. When roads become impassable, when hours are wasted in traffic due to poor road conditions, and when markets are inaccessible, the country’s economy falters, and growth is stifled.
Perhaps even more alarming is the persistent disconnect between the vast sums of money allocated annually for road construction and maintenance and the increasingly dilapidated state of these vital infrastructures. The government continues to allocate billions of naira for road projects, yet the results remain largely invisible. This discrepancy raises serious questions about the transparency and accountability in road construction projects. The question that must be asked is: where exactly is the money going? Why are the roads still in disrepair, and who is held accountable when projects fail?
The human cost of this crisis cannot be overstated. The report’s reference to “countless lives lost in preventable accidents” speaks to the tragedy of the situation. Each fatality is more than just a statistic; it represents families torn apart, businesses disrupted, and communities scarred. Yet these deaths, though preventable, have become a routine part of the Nigerian experience.
The normalisation of death on our roads is an indictment of the state’s failure to protect its citizens and ensure their safety. This should weigh heavily on the conscience of the government, as every lost life serves as a reminder of the failure to address a problem that has lingered for far too long.
A solution to this crisis is not only urgent but also attainable. First and foremost, there must be an immediate and comprehensive security response along Nigeria’s most dangerous routes. An increased police presence, alongside the deployment of modern surveillance technologies, can make a significant difference in ensuring the safety of travellers. The successful reduction in security incidents along the Abuja-Kaduna route should serve as a model for other high-risk highways.
However, security alone is not enough. A comprehensive audit of road infrastructure spending over the past decade must be conducted. The findings of this audit should serve as a basis for instituting a transparent, technology-driven system for monitoring road construction and maintenance projects. It is clear that without such accountability, billions of naira will continue to be wasted, and the roads will remain in their perilous state.
Furthermore, Nigeria must move towards embracing public-private partnerships (PPPs) for road infrastructure development. The current model of entirely government-funded projects has proven ineffective and inefficient. Additionally, accountability must be instilled at every level. Officials responsible for the state of the roads must be held to the highest standards.
The era of treating road maintenance as an afterthought must come to an end. There must be clear consequences for failing to maintain roads to acceptable standards, and the public must see that those responsible are held accountable. The path forward requires a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders: government agencies, private companies, local communities, and civil society.
However, collaboration without accountability will only perpetuate the current crisis. As Nigeria grapples with the numerous challenges it faces, the state of the nation’s roads cannot be ignored. Every day that passes without action adds to the rising toll in human lives, economic productivity, and public confidence. The cost of inaction is simply too high. The question is no longer whether Nigeria can afford to fix its roads, but whether the country can afford not to.