A major religious crisis is brewing over a controversial legislative move to sanitize Nigerian roads. The Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) has strongly condemned a proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act, which effectively categorizes the preaching of the Gospel in commercial vehicles as a public nuisance alongside hawking and street trading.
The bill, passed by the National Assembly on Thursday, July 16, 2026, aims to curb driver distraction by banning all commercial and evangelical activities in moving passenger vehicles. Violators risk a ₦50,000 fine or six months imprisonment.
Reacting to the development during an emergency press briefing in Lagos on Saturday, July 18, 2026, the Regional President of the OAIC, Elder Israel Akinadewo, called the provision an “unacceptable assault on the Christian faith” and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reject the bill in its entirety.
“While we support measures to ensure safety on our highways, criminalizing the propagation of the Gospel is a dangerous overreach,” Akinadewo said. “Preaching in public transport has been a source of spiritual strength and mental comfort for millions of struggling Nigerians. To equate the word of God with hawking is both insensitive and a violation of the constitutional right to freedom of worship.”
Legal experts and civil society groups have also joined the fray, warning that the clause could face immediate constitutional challenges if signed into law.
The presidency has yet to issue an official statement on whether President Tinubu will assent to the bill, which also includes stiffer penalties for drunk driving and traffic light violations. However, the OAIC has vowed to mobilize other Christian bodies to resist the implementation of the law if the controversial clause is not expunged.
