The Federal Road Safety Corps has stated that it is currently reviewing a recent court ruling that bars it from penalizing motorists with faded vehicle number plates.
On January 17, 2025, the Federal High Court in Lagos ruled that the FRSC has no authority to arrest or fine drivers for faded number plates, as the agency itself is responsible for their production.
According to The PUNCH, the judgment was delivered in response to a suit filed by Chinwike Ezebube, who argued that the durability of number plates was the responsibility of the FRSC, being the sole producer in Nigeria.
The case, identified as FHC/L/CS/253/2024, raised key questions about whether motorists should be held accountable for the deterioration of number plates caused by poor production quality.
In response, FRSC spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide maintained that the fading of number plates results from “normal wear and tear” rather than poor manufacturing.
He explained that vehicle owners have the option to replace lost or damaged plates under the National Road Traffic Regulations 2012, as amended.
“Faded number plates are not a result of poor quality. Rather, it has to do with normal wear and tear, which is why NRTR 2012 (as amended) in Regulation 39 allows vehicle owners to apply for replacements,” Ogungbemide stated.
He assured that the FRSC is carefully analyzing the ruling and would comply fully with the court’s decision.
“The corps is studying the court’s judgment but will not do anything to disrespect the court or its decision,” he added. “FRSC is a responsible organization and will always abide by court orders and the rule of law.”
