Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings | Information and Pictures

Road traffic signs are signs that are erected by the side or above the road to give information or instructions to road users. We are all road users, and a thorough understanding of these signs will make our usage and interaction with highway facilities safer and more convenient. On the contrary, lack of knowledge of traffic signs can mean incompetency and disobedience to traffic regulations. This may result in your vehicle being impounded, fines/penalties, and in the worst case, a highway crash.

In Nigeria, whenever Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Marshals are on highway patrol, penalty tickets often issued that are related to lack of road signs knowledge, and their penalties are briefly highlighted below;

1. Construction Area Speed Limit Violation (CAV) – Fine = N3,000 – 3 Penalty points
2. Light/Sign Violation (LSV) – Fine = N2,000 – 2 penalty points
3. Road Marking Violation (RMV) – Fine = N5,000 – 5 penalty points
4. Route Violation (RTV) – Fine = N10,000 – 10 penalty points
5. Speed Limit Violation (SLV) – Fine = N5,000 – 5 penalty points
6. Unauthorized Tampering / Removal of Road Signs (UTS) – Fine = N5,000 – 5 penalty points
7. Wrongful Overtaking (WOV) – Fine = N3,000 – 3 penalty points
8. Other offenses / Violations (OFV) – Fine = N3,000 – 2 penalty points

Penalty points are points allotted to traffic offenses accumulated in a driver’s record. The implications of such penalty points are given below;

• Warning (10 – 14 penalty points)
• Suspension of license (15 – 20 penalty points)
• Withdrawal of license (21 and above penalty points)

Nigeria road traffic signs are divided into the following categories;

A. Warning Signs – Warning signs are usually triangular in shape, with yellow or white background, black inscription, and red border. Another variety is the ‘Give Way’ or ‘Yield’ sign, which is an upside-down triangle. As the name implies, they are signs that warn you about what is ahead. They can also give instructional warning about a certain situation.

B. Regulatory Signs – Regulatory signs can be prohibitive, or mandatory.
(i) Regulatory Signs (Prohibitive): These signs are usually circular in shape with yellow or white background, black inscription, and red border. Another variety is the STOP sign, which is octagonal in shape. The STOP sign requires that you stop your vehicle completely whenever you see it. Generally, prohibitive signs give instructions that are prohibitive in nature.
(ii) Regulatory Signs (Mandatory): Regulatory signs are usually circular with a blue background, white inscription, and sometimes with a white border. They give positive instructions.

C. Informative Signs – These signs are usually rectangular in shape with a green background, and they provide guidance or information while on the highway.

These signs are shown in full below. All traffic signs are labelled at the bottom;

(a) Warning Signs 

And many more …

(b) Regulatory Signs (Prohibitory)
 

And many more …

(c) Regulatory Signs (Mandatory)
 

And many more ….

(d) Informative Signs
 

And many more…

(e) Traffic Lights/Signals

These are electronic light signaling devices used to control traffic flow at intersections to avoid conflict of vehicles. The basic signals are shown in the pictures below.

TO DOWNLOAD ALL NIGERIAN ROAD SIGNS (A FULL PAPER) IN A PRINTABLE FORMAT, CLICK HERE
 
This post is dedicated to members of NYSC Federal Road Safety Club (Batch ‘B’ 2015 and Batch ‘A’ 2016), Ikot Ekpene L.G.A., Akwa Ibom State, and the FRSC Marshals at RS 6.32 Ikot Ekpene Unit Command. God bless you all for your efforts in preaching the message of safety.