Senate Approves N50,000 Fine for Bus Preaching, Hawking and Trading

(Bus Preaching. Photo Credit: Naija News)

The Nigerian Senate has passed the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing significantly tougher penalties for various road traffic offences, including a proposed N50,000 fine for anyone caught preaching, hawking or trading inside commercial buses.

That familiar experience of boarding a danfo only to be greeted with an impromptu sermon could soon carry legal consequences.

The bill has cleared the National Assembly but is not yet law, requiring President Bola Tinubu’s assent before it takes effect.

Under the amended legislation, anyone found preaching, hawking or trading within commercial vehicles would be committing an offence punishable by a N50,000 fine upon conviction.

Lawmakers said the measure is intended to reduce distractions inside commercial buses and make public transportation safer for both drivers and passengers.

The Senate also approved a steep increase in penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, raising the fine from N5,000 to N100,000, with offenders also facing up to two years imprisonment, or both.

The amended law defines the offence as driving or attempting to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs beyond the legal limit, or to a degree that impairs proper control of the vehicle.

Motorists who refuse to cooperate with FRSC officials during roadside breath tests could also face stiffer consequences, with the amendment proposing a N50,000 fine, six months imprisonment, or both, for anyone who declines to cooperate with officers conducting preliminary roadside tests based on reasonable suspicion.

Several other traffic violations have also seen sharp penalty increases.

Ignoring traffic lights, road signs, road markings or other traffic control devices could now attract a N100,000 fine, matching the new penalty for speeding, which has similarly risen from N5,000.

Reckless driving now carries a N100,000 fine, up to two years imprisonment, or both, depending on the circumstances.

The amendment, formally titled the Federal Road Safety Corps Act (Amendment), 2026 (HBs. 1401 & 1604 – For Concurrence), was first read in the Senate on July 1, 2026.

The revised schedule now contains 52 traffic offences along with their corresponding penalties.

According to the Senate, the review is designed to strengthen the FRSC’s enforcement powers, improve compliance with traffic regulations, and reduce road crashes nationwide.

If eventually signed into law by President Tinubu, the new penalty regime is expected to affect millions of motorists, commercial transport operators and commuters, particularly in major Nigerian cities where preaching, hawking and trading inside buses remain a common occurrence.