Nigerian Senate Proposes Fine for Bus Preaching

The Nigerian Senate has passed the Federal Road Safety Corps Amendment Bill, which proposes a ₦50,000 fine for individuals caught preaching, trading, or hawking inside commercial transport vehicles. This legislative proposal is aimed at reducing driver distractions and improving road safety, although it still requires Presidential assent to become law.

The Senate clarified that this prohibition is not new, as preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles were already offenses under Section 10(4) of existing legislation. The bill does not outlaw street preaching or religious activities in public spaces.

However, it has sparked a debate regarding potential interference with fundamental rights, particularly concerning freedom of thought, religion, and expression. Additionally, there have been calls for a law to ban the Muslim call to prayer (adhan) through loudspeakers, raising further constitutional questions about religious freedom in Nigeria, especially given the prohibition of government adoption of any religion under Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution.