The Nigerian Senate has passed the Federal Road Safety Corps Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, prescribing tougher sanctions for traffic violations, including a ₦50,000 fine for anyone convicted of preaching, hawking or trading inside a commercial vehicle.
The bill, passed on Thursday, July 16, 2026, also proposes increased penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs, reckless driving, speeding and disobedience to traffic-control devices.
The legislation is awaiting presidential assent and its provisions have therefore not yet taken effect as law.
Under the revised schedule of offences, anyone found trading, hawking or preaching inside a commercial bus commits an offence and, upon conviction, will be liable to a ₦50,000 fine.
Lawmakers said the provision was intended to reduce distractions inside commercial vehicles and improve the safety of passengers and other road users.
The official list of offences published by the FRSC already identifies preaching or hawking in a commercial vehicle as an offence carrying a ₦50,000 fine, while the Senate-approved amendment incorporates the sanction into the revised statutory framework.
The bill also prescribes a ₦50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment or both for motorists who refuse to cooperate with FRSC officials conducting preliminary roadside breath tests.
Such tests must be based on reasonable suspicion that the motorist may be driving under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating substance.
The proposed amendment increases the fine for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000.
A person convicted of the offence could also be sentenced to a maximum of two years’ imprisonment or receive both the custodial sentence and the fine.
Reckless driving would similarly attract a ₦100,000 fine, imprisonment for up to two years or both penalties.
Motorists who exceed prescribed speed limits would face a ₦100,000 fine, representing a significant increase from the previous ₦5,000 penalty.
Failure to obey traffic lights, road signs, pavement markings or other authorised traffic-control devices would also attract a ₦100,000 fine under the proposed legislation.
The revised schedule reportedly contains 52 traffic offences and their corresponding penalties.
The Senate said the review was intended to strengthen the FRSC’s enforcement powers, promote compliance with traffic regulations and reduce crashes and fatalities on Nigerian roads.
The legislation was presented as the Federal Road Safety Corps Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, identified as HBs. 1401 and 1604 for concurrence. It was first read in the Senate on July 1, 2026, after earlier consideration by the House of Representatives.
The new penalties will become enforceable only if President Bola Tinubu assents to the bill.
