With the arrival of the rainy season, Nigerians once again find themselves haunted by the familiar dangers that come with it. The country’s failing roads—many of them riddled with potholes, erosion, and neglect—have turned into death-traps, claiming lives with relentless frequency. Across the nation, grief-stricken families mourn the loss of loved ones who fell victim to deadly crashes, a tragic consequence of the country’s collapsing transportation infrastructure.
A National Network in Ruins
Nigeria boasts a total road network of about 195,000 kilometres. Shockingly, only 60,000 kilometres of these are paved, and more than 70 per cent of those paved roads are currently in dilapidated condition. This statistic paints a grim picture of the country’s infrastructure and highlights an urgent need for intervention. Compared to its African peers, Nigeria’s performance is disturbingly poor. South Africa, for instance, has a road network of approximately 750,000 kilometres, with 158,124 kilometres paved. Egypt is also far ahead, maintaining over 101,576 kilometres of paved roads as of 2020.
This glaring disparity underscores how Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and one of its largest economies, lags woefully behind in basic infrastructure—an oversight with deadly consequences.
Mounting Human Casualties and Stark Statistics
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reported that in 2024 alone, Nigeria recorded 5,421 deaths from road crashes—a 7.0 per cent increase from 2023’s figure of 5,081. What’s particularly alarming is that this rise in fatalities came despite a 10 per cent reduction in the overall number of reported accidents. This indicates that while fewer crashes occurred, those that did happen were more devastating and deadly.
FRSC attributed these fatalities to several preventable causes—reckless driving, overloading, and driver fatigue being the most common. A particularly tragic pattern involves desperate individuals scooping fuel from fallen tankers, a dangerous act that claimed 411 lives in a single year.
The Nigerian Red Cross Society paints an even more dire picture, estimating that 200,000 Nigerians lose their lives annually due to road-related incidents. These numbers make it clear that road safety in Nigeria is not just a transportation issue but a full-blown public health crisis.
Budget Shortfalls and Bureaucratic Inertia
Despite the overwhelming need for action, road development and maintenance have been hampered by years of inadequate budget allocations. According to the Minister of State for Works, Muhammad Goronyo, over 35,000 kilometres of federal highways now require alternative sources of funding. The 2025 budget has allocated N926.2 billion for road projects and N64.88 billion specifically for maintenance. Yet, the sheer scale of deterioration across the country dwarfs these figures.
The Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, launched to allow private sector investment by converting corporate tax obligations into road construction funds, continues under the current administration. However, progress has been painfully slow. Projects drag on for years, marred by corruption, inefficiency, and poor oversight. A glaring example is the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, whose reconstruction has staggered along for more than two decades, serving as a symbol of governmental failure.
Construction Costs and Poor Standards
One of the critical issues plaguing Nigeria’s road infrastructure is the cost of construction. Building a single kilometre of asphalt road in Nigeria can cost up to N1 billion—about four times the average cost in other African nations. These inflated costs are often driven by mismanagement and corruption.
According to research from the Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, Nigerian road projects experience an average cost overrun of 31.36 per cent. As rains pound down, already compromised sections of roadways give way, further escalating the crisis.
Rural Roads and Economic Impact
Rural connectivity fares no better. Nigeria’s rural road network spans approximately 200,000 kilometres, with the World Bank stating that nearly 87 per cent of these roads are in very poor condition. This has serious implications for food security, access to education, and economic activity in remote areas.
Many of these roads are impassable during the rainy season, cutting off communities and isolating farmers from markets. Local and state governments, which should complement federal efforts, often lack the capacity or political will to invest in sustainable road infrastructure.
Security Concerns and Criminal Exploitation
Beyond physical danger, Nigeria’s poor road conditions also heighten security risks. Criminal gangs, including kidnappers, armed robbers, and carjackers, take advantage of the pothole-ridden roads and traffic bottlenecks to ambush travelers. Vehicles are forced to slow down or come to complete stops in hazardous stretches, making them easy targets.
These same road conditions waste valuable man-hours as commercial and private road users contend with delays and avoidable repairs. The economic cost of these inefficiencies is incalculable, dragging down productivity across sectors.
The Menace of Overloaded Trucks
Overloaded trucks, a common sight on Nigerian highways, accelerate the deterioration of roads by exceeding the weight limits for which the roads were designed. This causes cracks and breaks in the pavement, which eventually result in potholes and full-blown road collapse. Many newly constructed roads quickly fail under the pressure of these heavy vehicles, largely due to the lack of enforcement of axle load regulations.
Such stress dramatically reduces the life expectancy of roads that should have lasted decades. There is an urgent need for both stricter regulation and heavier penalties for violators, alongside enhanced engineering standards during road construction.
Engineering for Sustainability
Many roads in Nigeria are not built with the long-term in mind. Roads in areas prone to flooding must be designed to accommodate excess water flow from nearby rivers and seasonal overflow. The absence of adequate drainage systems further compounds this problem, as stagnant water gradually eats away at the road base, leading to erosion and collapse.
Security infrastructure—such as lighting, patrol outposts, and emergency lay-bys—should be incorporated into road designs to make highways safer and more efficient. Sadly, these essential features are often missing.
Fixing Nigeria’s Road Disaster: A Multi-Tiered Responsibility
Addressing Nigeria’s road crisis requires a coordinated effort from all levels of government. The federal government cannot do it alone. State and local governments must invest in constructing and maintaining internal road networks, particularly those that enhance food distribution, healthcare access, commerce, and education.
There must also be a shift in mindset toward prioritizing maintenance. The culture of neglect that allows roads to deteriorate beyond repair before any action is taken must change. Preventive maintenance, though less politically glamorous, is far more cost-effective in the long run.
Public-private partnerships should be strengthened and made more transparent to eliminate delays and cost inflation. Meanwhile, budget allocations must reflect the real cost of building and maintaining roads that meet international standards.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Nigeria’s Highways
Nigeria stands at a crossroads. The rains will come year after year, but without strategic investment and sustained political will, the death toll on the roads will continue to rise. The nation cannot afford to continue losing thousands of lives annually due to bad roads. Nigeria must prioritize road infrastructure—not just for the sake of safety but also for economic survival and national development. The time for action is now.
