The Nigerian Senate has passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing tougher penalties for several traffic offences, including a proposed ₦50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles. The bill also raises penalties for drink-driving, speeding and other traffic violations, but it must still receive presidential assent before becoming law.
Nigeria’s road safety laws are set for one of their biggest overhauls in years following the Senate’s passage of the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The proposed legislation significantly increases penalties for dozens of traffic offences, with one of its most talked-about provisions introducing a ₦50,000 fine for anyone found hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial buses.
Lawmakers said the amendment is intended to strengthen road safety enforcement, reduce reckless driving and improve compliance with traffic regulations nationwide.
According to the Senate, activities such as hawking and preaching inside commercial vehicles often distract drivers and passengers, creating avoidable safety risks that contribute to road accidents.
Beyond the proposed ₦50,000 fine for hawking, trading and preaching in buses, the amendment introduces several tougher sanctions for motorists.
Among the key changes are:
- ₦100,000 fine for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs, with offenders also facing up to two years’ imprisonment, or both.
- ₦100,000 fine for violating speed limits.
- ₦100,000 fine for disobeying traffic lights, road signs and other traffic control devices.
- ₦50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both, for motorists who refuse to cooperate with FRSC officials during roadside breath tests conducted on reasonable suspicion.
Although the bill has cleared the Senate, the proposed penalties are not yet enforceable.
The legislation must still be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent before it becomes an Act of Parliament. Until then, the existing provisions of the current FRSC Act remain in force.
The provision affecting preaching inside commercial buses has already generated widespread debate.
Supporters argue that any activity capable of distracting drivers should be discouraged in the interest of passenger safety.
Others, however, have questioned whether criminalising religious preaching inside commercial vehicles strikes the right balance between public safety and constitutional freedoms, suggesting the provision may attract further debate before implementation.
If eventually signed into law, the amended FRSC Act would represent one of the most comprehensive revisions of Nigeria’s traffic regulations in recent years. While the proposed sanctions are expected to encourage greater compliance with road safety rules, several provisions—particularly those relating to preaching and hawking in buses—are likely to remain subjects of public discussion in the weeks ahead.