by Ogbeni Olawale Dawodu
The Senate has passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Amendment Bill, 2026, introducing a ₦50,000 fine for anyone convicted of preaching, hawking or trading inside commercial vehicles, as part of a broad overhaul of Nigeria’s road traffic laws now awaiting presidential assent.
The bill revises penalties for 52 traffic offences, with lawmakers saying the reforms are designed to strengthen enforcement, improve compliance with traffic regulations and curb the country’s high rate of road crashes.
Among its most contentious provisions is a clause criminalising preaching, hawking and trading inside moving commercial buses. Lawmakers argued that such activities distract drivers and endanger passengers, and said eliminating them was necessary to improve safety on Nigerian roads. Offenders convicted under the new provision will face a ₦50,000 fine.
The amendment also grants the FRSC power to conduct roadside breath tests on motorists reasonably suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances. Any driver who refuses to cooperate during such tests risks a ₦50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both.
Penalties for driving under the influence have been sharply increased, rising from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000, with convicted offenders also facing up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Motorists who violate traffic lights, ignore road signs, disregard pavement markings or flout other traffic control devices will now face a ₦100,000 fine once the bill is signed into law, up from far lower penalties previously in force.
Speeding offences, which formerly attracted a ₦5,000 fine, will now carry a ₦100,000 penalty. Reckless driving will similarly attract a ₦100,000 fine, up to two years in prison, or both.
If assented to by the President, the legislation will represent one of the most far-reaching overhauls of Nigeria’s road traffic enforcement regime in recent years, tightening the net around a wide range of offences that have long contributed to the country’s road safety crisis.
