Lagos Leads As Traffic Offenders In 12 Nigerian States Pay N2.1bn Fines In 9 Months

In the last nine months, 12 state governments in Nigeria got N2.1 billion in fines from people breaking traffic rules. Open Nigerian States, a website supported by budgIT, shared this information and keeps track of government budget data.

Lagos State, the business center of Nigeria, had the most traffic rule breakers, and they had to pay N1.9 billion during this time.

In these nine months, people who broke traffic rules in at least 12 states in Nigeria paid N2.1 billion in fines. Lagos State, the business hub, had the most traffic rule breakers, and they paid N1.9 billion during this time, as reported by PUNCH.

After Lagos, Osun state had fines of N32.4 million, followed by Oyo (N27.4 million), Ogun (N20.5 million), Plateau (N14.6 million), Delta (N9.1 million), Niger (N7.9 million), Cross-Rivers (N3.6 million), Enugu (N2.7 million), Kogi (N1.8 million), and Adamawa (N0.987 million).

Lagos having the most fines is not surprising because it has a lot of people. Lagos is the most populated state in Nigeria, which is also the most populated country in Africa.

According to the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law from 2018, people caught driving without a valid license for the first time get a fine of N20,000. If they break the rules again, they get a fine of N20,000 or their vehicle gets taken away.

Not following the directions of traffic control personnel gets a N20,000 fine for the first-time rule-breaker. People who break the rule again pay a fine of N30,000 and their vehicle might get taken away or they have to go for LASDRI Training at the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute.

If someone doesn’t pay the fine in time, they have to pay double.

A study by the Danne Institute for Research found that Lagos loses N4 trillion every year because of traffic problems. The main reasons are bad roads, activities at bus stops, buses picking up passengers, and people breaking traffic laws.

The study also found that people in Lagos spend an average of 2.21 hours traveling every day, and 45 percent of them spend more than two hours.