Nigeria recorded a slight decline in road traffic crashes in the first quarter of 2026, but fatalities and injuries from road accidents remained high across the country, according to fresh data released on Tuesday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The statistics agency said a total of 2,720 road traffic crashes were recorded during the quarter, representing a marginal decrease of 0.40 per cent compared to the 2,731 crashes reported in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Despite the slight improvement, the human toll from the accidents remained significant, with more than 8,500 persons injured and over 1,300 deaths recorded within the three-month period.

The latest road transport data show that 8,575 persons sustained injuries in road crashes during the quarter under review.

Adult males accounted for the highest number of injured persons, with 6,293 cases, representing 73 per cent of the total injuries recorded.

Adult females accounted for 1,800 injuries or 21 per cent, while male children recorded 254 cases and female children 228 cases, with both categories representing three per cent each.

The figures suggest that adult men continued to bear the largest burden of road accidents, both in terms of exposure and casualty levels.

More than 1,300 deaths recorded

Fatalities arising from road traffic crashes also remained high during the period.

According to the NBS data, 1,347 persons lost their lives in road accidents in the first quarter of 2026.

Adult male victims again accounted for the overwhelming majority of deaths, with 1,045 fatalities representing 78 per cent of total deaths recorded during the quarter.

Adult females recorded 231 deaths or 17 per cent, while male children accounted for 31 deaths and female children 40 deaths.

The figures highlight the continued severity of road transport accidents despite the slight decline in the total number of crashes recorded.

Commercial vehicles dominate crash statistics

Further analysis of the data shows that commercial vehicles remained the category most frequently involved in road traffic crashes.

Out of the 4,078 vehicles involved in accidents during the quarter, commercial vehicles accounted for 2,929 cases, representing 71.82 per cent of the total.

Private vehicles followed with 1,089 cases or 26.70 per cent, while government-owned vehicles accounted for 60 cases, representing 1.47 per cent.

No diplomatic vehicle was involved in any reported road crash during the quarter.

A breakdown of the vehicles involved in the crashes shows that cars recorded the highest number, with 954 cases.

Motorcycles followed with 845 vehicles involved in crashes, while minibuses accounted for 733 cases. Trucks were involved in 643 crashes, and trailers accounted for 256 cases.

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Other categories included tricycles with 213 cases, pick-up vans with 122, SUVs with 118, and tankers with 72 cases.

Luxury buses recorded 21 cases, while vans accounted for 34 crashes. Bicycles recorded the least number with four cases, while other vehicle categories accounted for 63 incidents.

The latest figures reinforce concerns about road safety conditions across Nigeria, particularly within the commercial transport sector, which continues to account for the majority of accidents recorded nationwide.

The data also indicate that while the total number of crashes declined slightly compared to the previous quarter, the scale of injuries and fatalities remains a major public safety concern.

Commercial vehicles lead in road crashes as 1,347 people die in Q1 2026 — NBS

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