By Abbanobi -Eku Onyeka
The Special Road Traffic Mayors Association of Nigeria has called on Federal and State governments to prioritize and revitalize the operations of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) nationwide, warning that unroadworthy vehicles are fueling an alarming rate of road traffic crashes across the country.
In a statement on Monday titled “Why the Vehicle Inspection Officers Deserve the Political Will of the Government to Operate Effectively Across Nigeria States and FCT,” National President Prince Fidelis Nnadi described Nigeria’s road safety crisis as a national emergency. He said the country loses over 40,000 citizens annually to crashes, with the FRSC attributing more than 30 percent to mechanical failure.
“From Lagos to Maiduguri, from Sokoto to Port Harcourt, defective brakes, substandard tyres, and failed lighting systems are killing our people daily,” Nnadi said, noting that VIOs are the statutory gatekeepers mandated to stop unsafe vehicles before they reach highways.
The association linked the crisis to heavy economic losses, citing World Bank estimates that Nigeria loses 3 percent of GDP yearly to road crashes, more than ₦5 trillion in medical costs, lost productivity, and damaged infrastructure.
Nnadi argued that a functional VIO system is an investment, not expenditure, because VIOs drive Internally Generated Revenue through roadworthiness certification, driver testing, and vehicle licensing. With digital platforms and political support, he said, VIOs can fund 70 percent of their operations while eliminating over ₦100 billion lost annually to fake roadworthiness papers and roadside extortion.
Citing the FRSC Act 2007 and various State Traffic Laws, the group said VIOs are legally empowered to inspect, certify, and impound unroadworthy vehicles. Yet across the 36 states and FCT, officers face assault, intimidation, and political interference while on lawful duty.
“No nation develops when its enforcement officers are humiliated for doing their job. Political will means protecting the law, not undermining it,” the statement read.
The Road Traffic Mayors proposed a 5-Point National VIO Revival Pact, urging the Federal Government, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, and FCT Administration to act jointly.
The demands include legal protection with swift prosecution of anyone who obstructs VIOs, a unified National e-VIO Platform for cashless payments and digital certificates, recruitment and training of 5,000 additional officers to meet the benchmark of one officer per 800 registered vehicles, and operational independence through a Joint Task Force with FRSC, Police, and NSCDC to insulate VIOs from political and transport union interference.
