Nneji Hails Drivers as Nation Builders at ABC Transport Accident-Free Awards

.ABC Transport GMD, Jude Nneji (in suit), making his opening remarks. Others with them are (l-r): Alhaji A.A. Sunmonu of the DSS; CRC Kaleson-Rejoice Makanto of the FRSC; and DPO, FESTAC, Bakare Ibrahim.

The Group Managing Director of ABC Transport Plc, Mr. Jude Nneji, has described professional drivers as critical nation builders, insisting they are far from being “common men” as often portrayed.

Speaking at the company’s Awards Ceremony For Non-Accident Operations 2025 held in Lagos, on Friday, February 27, 2026, Nneji commended drivers who have maintained unblemished safety records, saying their discipline and professionalism safeguard lives, property and the economy.

“They are not common men,” he said. “When you drive a 55-seater luxury coach, you carry over 50 lives in your hands. You can decide their fate. That responsibility alone makes you extraordinary.”

The ABC Transport boss noted that beyond passenger transport, drivers in the haulage and logistics divisions play a vital role in sustaining commerce across Nigeria. According to him, the movement of goods remains the backbone of trade, including the fast-growing e-commerce sector.
“Without moving goods from one part of the country to another, commerce will not thrive. The aspirations of families and the economy rest on your shoulders,” he stated.
Nneji particularly applauded drivers who have operated for years without accidents, incidents or even near-misses, despite the challenges of Nigerian roads, including potholes, reckless motorists and security risks. He said the award ceremony was designed not only to celebrate excellence but also to motivate others to prioritise safety.
He stressed that accidents often lead to fatalities that cut short dreams and family responsibilities, citing for commendation the zero-tolerance safety culture of ABC Transport’s major corporate clients such as Lafarge Africa.

Reaffirming the company’s commitment to safety, Nneji highlighted several measures put in place by ABC Transport, including strict safety policies, a drug and alcohol policy, speed limiters installed in all buses and trucks, and a real-time vehicle tracking system.
He disclosed that the company’s vehicles are deliberately restricted from exceeding 100 kilometres per hour to enhance control during emergencies.
He also noted that alcohol breathalysers are used to test drivers, while continuous monitoring ensures compliance with safety standards.
The GMD expressed appreciation to regulatory and security agencies for their partnership, including the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Department of State Services, and the Lagos State Safety Commission, for their roles in promoting road safety and security.
According to him, the company also invests heavily in driver training through its Driver Training Academy (DTA,) in Owerri, which recently graduated 137 new trainees to boost the pool of professionally trained drivers in the country.
With over 2,000 employees and numerous dependents relying on the company, Nneji said safety remains a moral and corporate obligation. “If you go to work in the morning, your family expects you back. It is always better to say ‘welcome’ than to say ‘sorry,’” he remarked.
He called on government at all levels to improve infrastructure to support safer and more efficient transport operations, expressing optimism about Nigeria’s future.
“We have no other country but Nigeria. With good leadership, this nation will become one of the best in the world. I am confident it will happen in our lifetime,” he said.
The ceremony featured representatives from the company’s travel, cargo and haulage divisions, with accident-free drivers receiving certificates for their outstanding safety performance.

One of the highpoints of the ceremony was the effusive commendations for ABC Transport and its drivers by all the five safety, intelligence and security agencies present at the ceremony, including Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The representatives of the agencies of government took turns to applaud the road transport Group and its well trained drivers for their contributions to road safety in Nigeria.

Also applauding the transport company for its strict measures and adherence to regulations were the representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Lagos State Vehicle Inspection Device.
A total of 61 drivers from ABC’s various divisions were honoured at the ceremony held at the Amuwo-Ofofin terminal a few days after the road transport group marked its 33rd anniversary, having commenced operations on February 13, 1993.

Some of the drivers have driven ABC Transport vehicles for as long as 10 years without an accident, while others have five years to their credit.

In her remarks, Kaleson-Rejoice Makanto, a Chief Route Commander (CRC) at the Unit Command, FRSC, Apapa, commended ABC Transport for installing speed limiters in all its vehicles, noting that this has helped to enhance its good safety records.

Makanto, who represented the Sector and Zonal Commanders, identified three factors, including environmental, human and mechanical, as major contributors to road crashes.

Lauding the company and its drivers, the Principal Occupational Safety Officer of the Lagos Safety Commission, Eng. Sanuth Ogunlaja,disclosed that the body recently had cause to scrutinise ABC Transport’s operations at its terminal in Jibowu, Lagos, but later discovered that they met all the set requirements.

The representative of the NDLEA at the event, Ebia Efenfia, an Assistant Commander of Narcotics, extolled ABC Transport, its on-board crews and station staff, for being good partners in the drug war.

Efenfia, who was accompanied by Iloma Nwosu, also an Assistant Commander of Narcotics,said, “You have distinguished yourselves in terms of being free from drugs and trafficking.”

Similarly hailing the transport company for collaborating with his organisation over the decades, was the officer in charge at the DSS office for the Amuwo-Odofin/Oriade area of Lagos, Alhaji A. A. Sunmonu.
He cited for example, the commendable conduct of the pilots and their assistants at the border posts on the Lagos-Accra route where ABC operates the Coach West Africa buses.
Describing ABC passenger service as the alternative to travelling by air, the Area Commander (Area E Command) of the Nigeria Police, FESTAC, ACP Chike Otti, identified regular training, being “too careful” and observing speed limits as some of the reasons the drivers have zero-accident records.

“Please, remain careful, because a vehicle in the hands of an untrained driver is a weapon of mass destruction,” ACP Otto stated.

In the same vein, continuous training and learning, as well as discipline and dedication to duty, were identified by Adetokunbo Adeleye of the Lagos State Vehicle Inspection Service as the hallmarks of a good driver.

According to Adeleye, “even when you retire and your salary is no longer being paid by the company, your experience will continue to pay your salary.”

The event was rounded off with a toast by the Group Head, Innovation Strategy & Marketing, Mr. Victor Nneji, who congratulated the honoured drivers, describing them as a very important part of the 33-year old organisation.

Also present at the Awards Ceremony For Non-Accident Operations 2025 was the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for FESTAC, Bakare Ibrahim