The Senate has clarified that the prohibition of preaching and hawking inside commercial vehicles is not a new provision introduced under the ongoing amendment of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Establishment Act, stating that the offences have been part of Nigeria’s traffic laws since 2007.
The clarification followed public reactions to reports that the Senate recently passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes a ₦50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs in the Office of the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate said the controversial provision already exists in the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007, as well as the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012.
“The Senate has duly noticed public concerns on the purported proscription of preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle under the ongoing amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, No. 22, 2007,” the statement read.
The Senate explained that the offences are backed by Section 10(4) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007, and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012.
“Preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are offences. The offences have been part of the Act before the current amendment,” it stated.
According to the Senate, the provision previously appeared as Item 36 in the Second Schedule to the Act and has only been renumbered as Item 49 in the amended version currently under consideration.
“Entrenched as Item 36 in the Second Schedule of the Act, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are not new provisions in our legal system. The provisions have been part of the Act as far back as 2007. However, it is now listed as Item 49, Second Schedule of the Act,” the statement added.
The upper legislative chamber also dismissed claims that the proposed amendment seeks to outlaw public or street preaching, insisting that the legislation is aimed solely at enhancing road safety.
“The Bill, therefore, does not outlaw preaching on the streets as some interests have claimed in different fora. It is about the safety of commuters and other road users and not intended to undermine any religious activity in the public space,” the Senate said.
It further clarified that Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele neither initiated nor sponsored the amendment bill.
“The Bill is not an initiative of the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. Rather, it is a concurrence bill first amended by the House of Representatives. As required by the 1999 Constitution, the Bill requires the concurrence of the Senate before it can become effective,” the statement noted.
The Senate said the amendment process was still ongoing and urged members of the public and other stakeholders to engage the legislative process by forwarding their concerns to the appropriate institutions before the bill is finalised.
Beyond the provision on preaching and hawking, the proposed amendment also seeks stiffer penalties for several traffic offences.
Under the bill, the fine for driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances would increase from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000, while offences such as reckless driving and speed limit violations would attract fines of up to ₦100,000, with some violations also carrying prison terms.
