Detty December, Anthony Joshua and motorway safety in Nigeria

REPORTS of a serious road traffic accident involving Anthony Joshua on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, in which two close friends were tragically lost and he himself was injured, have cast a harsh and familiar light on a national tragedy we have normalised for far too long. Beyond the grief felt by the families and friends of the departed and our collective prayers for the injured lies a deeper, more uncomfortable truth: Nigeria’s roads are killing not just people but aspiration, confidence and investment. Week after week, our motorways silently destroy lives. Young people, full of promise and productivity, are cut down before their time. Breadwinners are lost. Futures are erased. These are not unavoidable “acts of God”, as we like to say, they are the predictable outcome of systemic neglect, weak enforcement and dangerous driving practices that have been allowed to fester for decades. The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, perhaps the busiest motorway in Nigeria, should be a symbol of economic vitality. Instead, it has become a byword for fear. Non-roadworthy trucks and articulated trailers crawl along fast lanes at dangerously low speeds, often without functional lights, reflective markings or proper braking systems. Other drivers are forced into sudden, high-speed manoeuvres to avoid catastrophe. It is a recipe for disaster and disaster is exactly what we keep getting.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) was created to prevent this. Yet year after year, the most obvious and lethal infractions remain largely untouched. Enforcement often appears misdirected: private vehicles are stopped for minor documentation issues while visibly unsafe trucks continue unchecked on the motorway. The result is a culture of impunity for the most dangerous offenders and a growing public cynicism about road safety regulation. This has consequences far beyond the immediate loss of life. Nigeria desperately needs foreign investment and diaspora engagement. Yet many investors and Nigerians abroad quietly admit to a simple fear: they cannot safely travel beyond city centres. When a nation’s transport infrastructure is perceived as a threat to life, confidence evaporates. Business plans are shelved. Leisure travel declines. Even cultural moments such as “Detty December”, which now contributes meaningfully to tourism and local income, are placed at risk. A country cannot build a modern economy on roads that function like roulette tables. The solutions are neither radical nor unattainable. Firstly, there must be uncompromising enforcement against unroadworthy trucks and trailers. Speed regulations by lanes must be enforced, with heavy goods vehicles restricted from fast lanes as is standard practice globally. Vehicles that fail safety checks should be removed from service immediately, not waved through with a fine or a warning.

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Secondly, enforcement agencies must be seen to target behaviours that actually cause fatalities, not merely those that are administratively convenient. Credibility, once lost, is difficult to regain. Thirdly, Nigeria must urgently diversify transport options. Road travel should not be the only viable means of moving between major cities. The Lagos–Ibadan rail line is a welcome development, but it remains underutilised. There is no practical reason why trains should not run at least hourly, providing a safe, affordable and predictable alternative to road travel. In every serious economy, rail is not a luxury; it is a safety valve. Indeed, there is no reason why the economic benefits of Detty December could not be extended to Ogun and Oyo states if there is a good transport link to Lagos.  Finally, road safety must be treated as an economic policy issue, not merely a transport one. Every life lost is a blow to productivity. Every accident that makes international headlines reinforces the perception of a country struggling to protect its own citizens.

We can continue with condolences and hashtags, or we can confront the root causes. If the government fails to tackle the menace of dangerous motorway driving decisively and visibly, then we must accept a grim reality: we are choosing to lose more lives, more talent and more investment. And history will judge that choice harshly.

•Onifade, a solicitor, writes in from London