Nigeria would require approximately N35 trillion to revamp its road infrastructure, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Clement Oladele, deputy corps marshall of the FRSC, made this statement during a panel session on ‘Harnessing Smart Infrastructure to Revolutionise Road Safety’ at the BusinessDay Breakfast Meeting/Townhall in Abuja on Wednesday.
Oladele explained that Nigeria’s existing road infrastructure is currently valued at N70 trillion, noting that transitioning to smart infrastructure would enhance road safety and operational efficiency for both road managers and enforcement agencies.
“Road infrastructure includes bridges, the superhighways, which the government of Nigeria is trying to construct, and others. So when you talk about smart infrastructure, you have a system, facilities that can make the roads smart, intelligent, in such a way that people are safe, and also make the managers of the roads, and those that are enforcing the roads, and activities be more efficient”, he explained
“According to FERMA, the road infrastructure in Nigeria is valued at N70 trillion. So, if Nigeria’s infrastructure disappears today for whatever reason, Nigeria will have to look for N70 trillion to replace them, even at the state at which they are now. And if you are going to improve the road infrastructure to the intelligent infrastructure, you’ll need about half of that cost to make the highways smart”, he added.
Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner/CEO of the National Data Protection Commission, represented by Ibukunoluwa Owa, head of the Regulations Unit, also spoke at the session. She emphasised the importance of data safety as the FRSC integrates smart technology into traffic monitoring systems. Owa pointed out that such technology often relies on personal data, urging the need to safeguard this information.
“Citizens must provide personal data, including their name, home address, and vehicle number,” she stated. “If this data is not protected, it could fall into the wrong hands, leading to identity theft, unauthorised access, and fraud.”
She added that ensuring data protection is crucial for building public trust. “If citizens do not believe that their data will be safeguarded by the FRSC, they will be reluctant to use the apps. Without their participation, we will lack a comprehensive and accurate understanding of road users and relevant information.”
Owa urged that the FRSC only collect data essential for specific purposes to maintain privacy and security for all road users.
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