The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says road accidents in Q1 2026 fell by 0.40 per cent compared to Q4 2025, according to its Road Transport Data report released Wednesday in Abuja.
The report showed 2,720 road accidents were recorded in Q1 2026, slightly lower than 2,731 in Q4 2025, indicating a marginal decline in overall crash incidents nationwide during the period.
However, on a year-on-year basis, accidents increased by 2.64 per cent compared to 2,650 recorded in Q1 2025, reflecting a rise in road safety challenges across the country.
It stated that of the categories recorded, serious cases were highest at 1,761, followed by fatal cases at 714 and minor cases at 245 across the reporting period.
The report revealed that 1,076 males were killed in crashes, representing 78.88 per cent, while 271 females died, accounting for 20.12 per cent of total fatalities nationwide.
It also showed that 6,547 males were injured, representing 76.35 per cent of total injuries, while 2,028 females sustained injuries, highlighting higher male vulnerability in road crashes.
According to the report, a total of 4,078 vehicles were involved in accidents in Q1 2026, compared to 4,059 in Q4 2025, marking a slight increase of 0.46 per cent.
Commercial vehicles were most affected with 2,929 incidents, followed by private vehicles at 1,089 and government vehicles at 40, indicating higher exposure among commercial transport operators.
Regionally, the North-Central recorded the highest number of accidents with 752 cases, followed by the South-West with 699, while the South-South recorded the lowest at 137 cases.
In terms of casualties, the North-West recorded the highest with 2,675, followed by the North-Central with 2,544, while the South-South again recorded the lowest at 402 casualties.
The report identified speed violations as the leading cause of road accidents across all geopolitical zones, underscoring persistent behavioural and enforcement challenges in road safety management.
