The Senate has clarified that the prohibition of preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles is not a new provision introduced under the ongoing amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Establishment Act, stating that the offences have existed in Nigerian law since 2007.
The clarification follows public criticism after the Senate passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which retains a provision prescribing a ₦50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching in a commercial vehicle.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs in the Office of the Senate Leader, the Senate said the provision had long formed part of the existing FRSC Establishment Act and the National Road Traffic Regulations.
“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 said.
It explained that the offences are provided for under 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,” the Senate said.
According to the statement, 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 before the National Assembly.
“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 Senate stressed that the legislation does not prohibit public or street preaching, contrary to claims circulating on social media.
“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 statement said.
The Senate also clarified that the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, neither initiated nor sponsored the legislation.
“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 said.
It added that the legislative process was still ongoing and encouraged interested stakeholders to engage with the National Assembly before the amendment is concluded.
“The amendment process is still ongoing. In the spirit of democracy, stakeholders can channel their concerns to the appropriate institutions before the completion of the process,” the statement added.
