If you drive in Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt, a ₦5,000 fine for speeding or jumping a red light has never been much of a deterrent. That could soon change. In July 2026 the Senate passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which raises several traffic fines from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000 and adds jail terms for the most dangerous offences. The bill is now waiting for President Bola Tinubu to sign it. As of late September 2026, there is no public report that he has signed it or refused to.
This explainer covers what the bill says, how much each major offence could cost you, why it has become controversial, and how drivers, danfo operators and fleet owners can prepare now.
What Is the FRSC Amendment Bill 2026?
The bill amends the law that created the Federal Road Safety Corps and sets out its enforcement powers and penalties. According to reports from Pulse Nigeria and Lawyard, it was listed as HBs. 1401 & 1604 for concurrence, was first read in the Senate on July 1, 2026, and passed plenary in mid-July. It had already been through the House of Representatives, so passing it in the Senate completed the National Assembly stage.
The revised schedule lists 52 traffic offences, each with its own penalty. Coverage at the time described it as one of the biggest reviews of FRSC sanctions in years. The Senate said the goals are to strengthen FRSC enforcement, improve compliance with traffic rules and cut road crashes and deaths.
Important: until the President signs it, the bill is not law. The penalties below are proposed. The current, lower fines still apply until the bill is signed and gazetted.
The New Traffic Fines at a Glance
These are the headline changes reported across Nigerian media coverage of the Senate-passed bill:
- Speeding: from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000
- Disobeying traffic lights, road signs, road markings or other control devices: ₦100,000 (the “light-jumping” fine many Lagos drivers will notice first)
- Reckless driving: ₦100,000, up to two years’ imprisonment, or both, depending on the circumstances
- Drunk or drugged driving: from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000, up to two years’ imprisonment, or both
- Refusing a roadside breath test (when FRSC has reasonable suspicion): ₦50,000, up to six months’ imprisonment, or both
- Hawking, trading or preaching inside a commercial vehicle: ₦50,000 on conviction
Put simply, the three most common everyday offences (speeding, running a light and ignoring road markings) would cost 20 times what they cost today.
What ₦100,000 Means in Real Terms
With petrol above ₦1,300 per litre in many parts of the country, a single ₦100,000 fine is roughly the price of a full tank for a mid-size SUV, or several weeks of fuel for a typical commuter car. For a commercial bus driver who earns a daily wage after paying the owner, one ticket could wipe out one to two weeks of take-home pay. That is the point of the change: lawmakers want the fine to hurt enough to change behaviour.
Who Is Most Affected?
1. Private car owners
Most private motorists will feel the change through speeding and traffic-light offences. On expressways such as Lagos–Ibadan, Abuja–Kaduna and the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway corridor, where speed checks are common, a ticket that used to be an annoyance becomes a real financial hit. Drivers who already budget for fuel, servicing and insurance should now think of traffic fines as a real cost of running a car in Nigeria, not a rare inconvenience.
2. Danfo, bus and ride-hailing operators
Commercial operators face double exposure. Drivers could be fined for speeding and reckless driving, and the bill also creates a ₦50,000 fine for hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles. The published reports describe that penalty as applying to the person convicted of the offence. Operators should still expect FRSC and state agencies to lean on drivers and park owners to stop the practice on board.
3. Fleet and logistics businesses
Companies running delivery vans, staff buses or haulage trucks face larger exposure. A fleet of 20 vehicles picking up a handful of ₦100,000 tickets a month is now a line item worth tracking. Expect more fleet owners to add telematics, speed limiters and driver-scorecard rules to their contracts.
Why the Bill Is Controversial
The traffic fines have drawn less public argument than the clause on preaching in commercial vehicles. Several religious bodies have publicly urged President Tinubu to withhold assent, including the South-West chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Northern Christian elders, according to reports in Tribune, Vanguard, Blueprint and The Sun. Their argument is that the provision threatens freedom of religion and expression and could stoke religious tension.
Supporters of the bill say the aim is to reduce distractions for drivers and passengers, not to single out any faith. The clause covers hawking and trading as well as preaching.
This dispute matters to motorists because it could affect whether and when the whole bill becomes law. The President could:
- Sign the bill as passed, bringing all the new fines into force once it is gazetted.
- Withhold assent and send it back to the National Assembly, which could then remove or rework the controversial clause.
- Take no action for now. The bill would stay in limbo, and the current fines would continue.
Any of these outcomes is possible. Treat reports of a “new fine already in force” with caution until an official FRSC or Presidency announcement confirms it.
Beware of Fake “Traffic Offence” Messages
Talk of higher fines creates an opening for fraudsters. In September 2026 the FRSC warned motorists about fraudulent text messages and a fake website claiming that recipients had been recorded for new road traffic offences and needed to pay. Before paying any fine:
- Do not click payment links in unsolicited SMS or WhatsApp messages.
- Check any claimed offence through official FRSC channels you look up yourself. Do not use a number or link from the message.
- Remember that a genuine FRSC notice will not ask for payment into a personal bank account.
- If in doubt, visit the nearest FRSC unit command in person.
How the Old and Proposed Penalties Compare
- Speed limit violation: old ₦5,000 → proposed ₦100,000
- Drunk/drugged driving: old ₦5,000 → proposed ₦100,000 + up to 2 years’ jail
- Traffic light / sign / marking violation: proposed ₦100,000
- Reckless driving: proposed ₦100,000 + up to 2 years’ jail
- Refusing a breath test: proposed ₦50,000 + up to 6 months’ jail
- Hawking/trading/preaching in a commercial vehicle: proposed ₦50,000
Figures are as reported by Nigerian media from the Senate-passed version. The final gazetted law could differ if the bill is amended before assent.
Enforcement Is Already Tightening
Even before the bill becomes law, enforcement is getting stricter. In September 2026 the FRSC secured a jail term for a dangerous driver through an Abuja mobile court, according to PRNigeria. Mobile courts can hear traffic cases on the spot, and a bigger fine schedule would give them much stronger penalties to impose.
State agencies also enforce their own traffic laws, including Lagos’s LASTMA and the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in the FCT, and their penalties sit alongside FRSC’s. A single stop can mean both a federal and a state offence, so the total cost of careless driving could be higher than the FRSC fine alone.
How to Protect Yourself (and Your Wallet)
- Keep your papers current. Expired vehicle licence, road worthiness or insurance papers are the easiest way to get stopped. Our guide to car registration cost in Nigeria explains what you need.
- Use genuine insurance. Fake third-party policies are common and can make a minor stop far more expensive. See our breakdown of car insurance in Nigeria for how to verify a policy.
- Watch your speed on expressways. Speed checks are common on major highways, and under the new schedule one ticket could cost more than a tank of fuel.
- Never drink and drive. With up to two years’ imprisonment proposed, the risk now goes beyond money.
- Fleet owners: set a written driver policy. Decide in advance who pays for fines and use speed alerts or trackers where you can.
- Verify every fine. Pay only through official channels, and ignore unsolicited payment links.
Key Takeaways
The Senate has passed the FRSC Amendment Bill 2026, which would raise speeding, light-jumping and drunk-driving fines from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000, add jail terms for the most serious offences, and introduce a ₦50,000 fine for hawking, trading or preaching in commercial vehicles. It is not yet law: it still needs the President’s signature, and religious groups have urged him to withhold it. Drivers should keep their papers current, stay within speed limits and ignore unofficial payment demands.
FAQ
Are the ₦100,000 traffic fines in force now?
No. As of late September 2026 there is no public report that the President has signed the bill. The current penalties apply until it becomes law and is gazetted.
Does the bill ban preaching on buses?
As passed by the Senate, it makes hawking, trading or preaching inside a commercial vehicle an offence with a ₦50,000 fine on conviction. This is the most disputed part of the bill and could be changed if the President sends it back.
How many offences are covered?
The revised schedule lists 52 traffic offences and their penalties, according to reports on the Senate-passed bill.
I got an SMS saying I owe an FRSC fine. What should I do?
Don’t click the link or pay. The FRSC has warned about fake offence messages and a fake website. Look up official FRSC contacts yourself, or visit a unit command to confirm.
Disclaimer: Vehicle prices, import duties, traffic fines and regulations change frequently in Nigeria. Always confirm current figures with the dealer or the official source, such as the FRSC or the Official Gazette, before acting. This article is for general information and is not legal advice.
