Cross River Government Slashes Traffic Offences to ‘Only Four’ to Ease Transport Sector

The Cross River State Government has significantly reduced the number of traffic offences enforceable by the state’s transport regulatory agency from 35 to just four, a reform designed to ease the economic burden on motorists and enhance the ease of doing transport business across the state.

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The announcement was made in Calabar by Mr. Efa Nyong, Chairman of the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA), who outlined the new traffic offence regime as part of broader transport reforms for 2026.

Under the reformed regulatory framework, only four traffic violations will now be enforceable:

• Refusal to register a vehicle
• Refusal to purchase daily operational toll tickets
• Overloading of passengers or goods
• Failure to use seat belts

All other offences, previously part of the 35-offence schedule, including minor infractions such as broken windscreens have been scrapped to reduce harassment of drivers and cut down enforcement costs.

Mr. Nyong explained that the reduction in traffic offences was necessitated by the prevailing economic challenges confronting commercial drivers and transport operators in the state.

By simplifying the list of punishable offences, the government aims to support transport businesses struggling with high operating costs and minimise unnecessary fines that often compound the cost of doing business.

The reform includes welfare-oriented policies targeted at vulnerable transport stakeholders:

Drivers aged 60 and above will receive free registration and exemption from operational levies.

Female commercial drivers will also benefit from free registration and regulatory fee waivers.

Penalties for the four enforceable offences will range between ₦5,000 and ₦10,000, according to the official enforcement chart released by CTRA.

Mr. Nyong also revealed that the agency is finalising an insurance scheme to support families of registered drivers in the event of death.

An agreement with Leadway Insurance is reportedly close to being signed, which would provide financial protection for transport operators and their dependents.

Addressing longstanding complaints from motorists about alleged high-handed enforcement practices by some CTRA taskforce members, Mr. Nyong assured the public that the agency will exercise flexibility for drivers who genuinely cannot pay fines.

This comes after commercial drivers in the state previously accused enforcement teams of demanding illegal payments and excessive penalties.

The reduction of traffic offences is expected to:

• Reduce regulatory pressure on commercial and private motorists
• Enhance compliance by focusing on major safety-related violations
• Boost ease of doing transport business, particularly for informal transport operators
• Encourage formalisation of vehicle registration and compliance practices

Analysts say the reform aligns with broader regional trends where state governments are revamping traffic laws to balance enforcement with economic welfare.

Local traffic law frameworks prior to reform included over 30 distinct offences ranging from expired licences to missing insurance documentation.