Auto
Government Loses N60b Yearly To Vehicle Insurance

By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s insurance sector is estimated to be losing about N60 billion annually, as only 25 per cent of registered vehicles in the country carry genuine third party motor insurance policies, The Guardian exclusively learnt.
This is aside the billions of Naira also lost to the sector on comprehensive motor insurance, which requests that 10 per cent of the cost of a vehicle be paid as yearly premium.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) shows that only four million of the 16 million registered vehicles in the country have third party insurance cover. This leaves a balance of 12 million vehicles either uninsured or parading fake insurance papers.
Third Party Insurance is the least cover required by law. It comes at a fixed price of N5,000 for private and N7,500 for commercial vehicles, and covers damages caused by the insured vehicle to other road users including property in the event of an accident.
Section 38 of the National Insurance Act 2003, currently in use, states that Third Party Motor Insurance is required as part of the minimum amount of auto cover you must carry as a car owner. Penalties for non-compliance can include a fine of up to N250, 000 and or one-year imprisonment.
On the other hand, the comprehensive insurance covers the cost of damages to the insured vehicle as well as to other third party road users and property.
There are about 118 insurance and five reinsurance companies registered in Nigeria, which provide covers for the public.
Further investigation shows that most of the motorists flaunting insurance papers did not obtain them at the Vehicle licensing offices, a unit of the Vehicle Inspection Offices (VIO), even as there are touts who market the fake insurance covers especially to the commercial vehicles at the parks and garages.
The fake insurance covers are sold for between N300 to N1,000, supposedly issued by insurance firms that do not exist. Due to ignorance and lack of knowledge of the benefits of buying original insurance covers, most commercial drivers go for the fake insurance because it is cheap, to avoid the wrath of the law enforcement agents.
Other uninsured motorists, it was learnt, prefer to settle their way out either with law enforcement agents or when an accident occurs.
A Lagos driver, who identified himself as Segun, told The Guardian that he got his fake insurance cover from the old licensing office along GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, saying that is where he and most of his colleagues buy their vehicle insurance.
When asked the name of his insurer, he said: “The name on my insurance certificate is Pacific Insurance.” But there is no firm bearing such a name among the registered insurance companies.
Speaking on the incidence of fake insurance covers, the VIO Spokesperson, Lagos State, Gbolahan Toriola, insisted that the agency does not condone such illegal acts, adding that any of its personnel caught marketing and selling fake insurance is immediately penalised.
“So, if anybody has issues with a policy that he or she obtained in any of our licensing offices, he or she should go back to that office and identify the staff. In Lagos State, we don’t condone that, what we want is for people to obey the law. Any staff caught will face disciplinary action and will be dismissed,” he said.
To reduce the number of fake vehicle insurance on Nigerian roads, he said, the VIO has partnered with the NIA, to access its Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID), adding that, through the database, motorists can confirm whether the insurance they obtained is a fake or not.
Through the NIID, he said, the number of genuine insurance among motorists has increased. “Before now, when you stop 100 vehicles, you hardly see 10 of them having genuine insurance certificates. But now, I can tell you that when you stop 20 vehicles, you can see 10 to 15 of them having genuine insurance because of our enforcement and enlightenment exercise, which we have done with NIA.”
Guardian
Auto
inDrive Lagos, Abuja Top Drivers Get N30m Fuel, Shopping Vouchers
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Top drivers of a global mobility and urban services platform, inDrive, in Lagos and Abuja were recently rewarded with fuel and shopping vouchers worth N30 million through its Driver Rewards Campaign.
The promo was created by the company in response to rising fuel costs and increasing operational expenses. It is providing meaningful support to its driver community through this initiative, while celebrating their commitment and hard work for keeping Nigeria’s major cities moving every day.
The campaign, which started in March and will end in June 2026, involves distributing vouchers worth N30,000 each to 1,000 eligible drivers through a series of live raffle draws on inDrive’s digital platforms. This effort is designed to acknowledge and reward the most active drivers on the platform for their unwavering dedication and commitment to providing high-quality service to passengers.
The Country Lead for inDrive Nigeria, Mr Timothy Oladimeji, noted that the initiative underscores the organisation’s ongoing commitment to driver welfare and its mission to foster equitable opportunities within the mobility ecosystem.
Mr Oladimeji explained that the Driver Rewards Campaign is designed to ease some financial burdens while encouraging and celebrating drivers’ resilience, professionalism, and dedication to service.
“At inDrive, we understand the realities drivers face every day, especially as rising fuel prices continue to put pressure on their earnings. Our drivers are the backbone of our platform, and this campaign is our way of recognising their dedication and supporting them meaningfully.
“Through these rewards, we want to show that inDrive stands with drivers, values their contribution and remains committed to creating a fairer and more rewarding mobility ecosystem,” he said.
Auto
inDrive Unveils International Social Initiative Against Bullying
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A social initiative to encourage parents to pay closer attention to their children’s emotional well-being and create space for open conversations has been launched by a global mobility and delivery platform, inDrive.
It is based on inDrive’s Cancel the School Trip campaign, first launched in Kazakhstan in April 2026.
Encouraged by the significant public interest in the project, inDrive intends to roll out the initiative across other markets within its global presence, including Nigeria.
As part of the initiative, users taking morning rides to school received a push notification asking whether they wanted to cancel the trip after the ride had already started. The message appeared to be an app error, but in reality, it served as a communication trigger — a way to pull parents out of their daily routine and redirect their attention to their child’s emotional state.
School bullying remains one of the most widespread — and at the same time one of the least visible — issues affecting teenagers worldwide. According to UNICEF, millions of children regularly experience bullying, yet many never speak about it to adults.
“We need to talk to children more often. Not just ask How are you? But genuinely notice their emotional state, mood, and changes in behaviour. Sometimes, even a short conversation can help identify a problem a child may be afraid to talk about,” the Country Lead for inDrive Nigeria, Mr Timothy Oladimeji, stated.
The symbol of the campaign became the back seat of a car — a space where parent and child are alone together and can talk without distractions. The organisers believe there is not always a need to create entirely new communication rituals; sometimes, it is enough to pay more attention to moments that already exist in everyday life. Even a few minutes of conversation on the way to school can help a child feel heard and safe enough to share their concerns.
In addition to digital tools, installations shaped like car seats were placed across Almaty in shopping malls and at busy city intersections. As part of the initiative, an online platform with practical recommendations for parents was also developed together with child psychologists.
The platform includes materials on recognising signs of bullying, starting difficult conversations with children, and supporting them in challenging situations.
The campaign was followed by a roundtable discussion in Kazakhstan that brought together psychologists, parents, influencers, and representatives of the creative industry. Participants discussed why bullying often remains hidden, how teenage aggression is evolving and which communication approaches help build trust between adults and children.
A separate part of the discussion focused on how to talk to children about difficult emotions and experiences. According to psychologist Kseniya Lych, standard questions are often ineffective because children answer them automatically. Instead, prompts involving imagination and open-ended thinking tend to reduce tension and encourage dialogue.
The initiative received strong public attention and positive feedback from parents, psychologists and the professional community. As a result, inDrive is already planning to expand the campaign to other markets where it operates, adapting it to each country’s local context.
“We see that bullying is an equally painful issue across different countries and cultures. That is why we want to develop this initiative internationally and launch similar projects in other inDrive markets. For us, it is important not only to raise awareness about the problem, but also to help parents pay closer attention to their children’s emotional well-being and start conversations in time,” says Yevgeniy Gavrilchenko, co-author of the idea and Creative Lead at inLab by inDrive.
Auto
FRSC Condemns Attack on Traffic Enforcement Team by DSS Official
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Shehu Mohammed, has kicked against an alleged violent attack on the traffic enforcement team of the organisation by a motorist, who was later identified as a security operative.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Corps Commander for Public Education, Mr Osondu Ohaeri, in Abuja on Friday, it was claimed that the motorist was suspected to be an official of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Narrating the incident in the statement, the FRSC said on Thursday, May 21, 2026, its officials flagged down a Toyota Carina driver for a suspected traffic violation at about 3:20 pm, but he refused to stop and proceeded dangerously until he was eventually held up by traffic close to the Command in Idu, Abuja.
“Upon approach by the patrol team for routine checks of vehicle and driver documents, the offender became hostile, verbally aggressive, and resisted lawful enforcement procedures.
“Despite several tactical and professional attempts by FRSC personnel to de-escalate the situation, the offender escalated the confrontation by physically advancing toward officers and later drawing a pistol, which he fired twice within the vicinity of the Command.
“In the face of imminent danger to lives and property, FRSC personnel acted with remarkable restraint, professionalism, and tactical discipline to swiftly disarm the assailant without loss of life. One Marshal sustained minor bruises during the process,” the statement narrated.
It was disclosed that the suspect was immediately handed over to the Nigeria Police Force at Life Camp Police Station alongside the firearm, ammunition components, and the vehicle involved, with the matter transferred to the appropriate State Command for further investigation.
In the statement, Mr Mohammed praised his men for the courage, professionalism, and maturity displayed by them, saying he’s impressed with how they resisted provocation and ensured that the situation did not degenerate into chaos, despite growing public outrage at the scene.
He further stated unequivocally that no individual, regardless of status, rank, or agency affiliation, is above the law, emphasising that security personnel are expected to lead by example through compliance with established traffic regulations and respect for constituted authority.
He called on all security agencies to continue strengthening inter-agency cooperation, mutual respect, and operational discipline in the collective interest of national security and public safety.
“Firearms and official status must never be used as instruments of intimidation against law enforcement officers carrying out legitimate duties,” he stressed.
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