Imagine boarding a commercial bus in Lagos or Abuja for your daily commute. Just as the vehicle pulls away, a trader begins advertising household items, followed by a preacher delivering a passionate sermon to passengers. If the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, becomes law, those familiar scenes could soon come with a hefty ₦50,000 fine.
The Senate has passed the amendment bill, introducing sweeping changes to Nigeria’s traffic laws in what lawmakers describe as a major effort to improve road safety, curb reckless driving and reduce distractions inside commercial vehicles.
The proposed legislation now awaits the assent of President Bola Tinubu before it can take effect.
End Of An Everyday Bus Tradition?
For decades, hawkers, traders and religious evangelists have turned commercial buses into temporary marketplaces and pulpits, especially in Nigeria’s major cities.
While many passengers have become accustomed to buying snacks, household items or listening to impromptu sermons during traffic, lawmakers now believe those activities create unnecessary distractions capable of contributing to road accidents.
Under the new bill, anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside a commercial vehicle will face a ₦50,000 fine.
If signed into law, the measure would dramatically change an everyday reality for millions of commuters and could end one of the country’s most familiar public transport traditions.
Drink Driving Could Cost More Than Money
The bill also sends a strong warning to motorists who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Under the existing law, offenders risk a relatively modest ₦5,000 fine. But the amendment raises that punishment to ₦100,000, with an additional possibility of up to two years imprisonment, or both.
The legislation applies to drivers whose ability to control their vehicles is impaired by alcohol or intoxicating substances beyond the legal limit.
Saying ‘No’ To A Breath Test Could Become A Crime
The proposed law goes even further by targeting motorists who refuse to cooperate with FRSC officials.
Drivers who decline a roadside breathalyser test after being reasonably suspected of driving under the influence could face a ₦50,000 fine, six months in prison, or both.
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Lawmakers say the provision is intended to strengthen the FRSC’s ability to detect and prosecute impaired drivers, rather than allowing suspects to evade enforcement.
Speeding And Reckless Driving Become Costlier
The financial consequences of breaking traffic rules are also set to rise sharply.
Ignoring traffic lights, road signs or other official traffic control devices would attract a ₦100,000 fine under the amendment.
The same amount would apply to motorists caught exceeding speed limits, a significant increase from the previous ₦5,000 penalty.
Drivers found guilty of reckless driving would also face a ₦100,000 fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both, depending on the circumstances.
52 Offences, Tougher Enforcement
The amendment introduces a revised schedule covering 52 different traffic offences, each with updated penalties designed to reflect current realities on Nigerian roads.
Lawmakers say the review is intended to give the FRSC stronger enforcement powers, improve compliance with traffic regulations and reduce the alarming rate of road crashes across the country.
The bill, formally titled the Federal Road Safety Corps Act (Amendment), 2026 (HBs. 1401 & 1604), was first introduced in the Senate on July 1, 2026, before receiving legislative approval.
For now, the proposed changes remain subject to presidential assent. But if signed into law, they could fundamentally reshape driver behaviour, public transportation culture and traffic law enforcement across Nigeria—making everyday road habits far more expensive than they have ever been.