Major Christian organizations have strongly opposed a proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act, which seeks to criminalize preaching and hawking inside commercial vehicles.

The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) warned that the bill violates constitutionally guaranteed rights and punishes vulnerable citizens struggling under economic hardship.

The backlash follows the Senate`s passage of the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The legislation proposes a ₦50,000 fine, a six-month jail term, or both for anyone caught preaching, trading, or hawking in commercial transit. While lawmakers argue the ban will prevent driver distraction and boost road safety, the bill now awaits presidential assent to become law.

In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Rev. Evans Onyemara, the CCN expressed deep concern over grouping Christian evangelism with commercial ventures. While affirming its support for road safety initiatives, the council maintained that traffic regulations must not override religious freedoms.

"The inclusion of preaching alongside hawking and trading raises legitimate concerns about freedom of religion and expression as guaranteed by the Constitution," Onyemara stated, noting that commercial buses have served as spaces for spiritual encouragement for decades.

The CCN also criticized the ₦50,000 fine targeted at transit hawkers. The group argued that aggressive penalties address the symptoms of Nigeria`s economic crisis rather than its root causes, such as systemic poverty and unemployment.

"Poverty should not be criminalised," the statement read, urging the government to create designated trading zones and empowerment programs instead of punitive sanctions. The council urged President Bola Tinubu to subject the bill to broader public consultation.

Echoing these concerns, the OAIC explicitly called on President Tinubu to withhold his assent from the legislation. OAIC President, Israel Akinadewo, described the decision to equate peaceful religious expression with commercial trading as "insensitive."

"Preaching is a constitutionally protected exercise," Akinadewo said. "We respectfully call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to assent to the Bill in its present form."

The OAIC urged the National Assembly to review the provisions alongside religious bodies and civil society groups to balance public safety with democratic freedoms.