Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U.

(2016)

Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and Their Meanings

Ubani Obinna Uzodimma
Cadet-in-Chief, NYSC Federal Road Safety Club (March – October 2016)
RS 6.32 Ikot Ekpene Unit Command, Akwa Ibom State
E-mail: Ubani@structville.com

1.0 Introduction
Road traffic signs are signs that are erected by the side of the road, or above the road to
inform or give 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 to your vehicle being impounded, and/or
you being fined by officers, and in the worst case, highway crash.

In Nigeria, whenever Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Marshals are on highway patrol,
penalty tickets issued that are often related to lack of road signs knowledge and their
penalties are indicated in Table 1.0 below.

Table 1.0: Road Sign related traffic offences and their penalties (Nigeria Highway Code, 2013)
S/No TRAFFIC OFFENCE CODE POINTS PENALTY
1 Construction Area Speed Limit CAV 3 N3,000
Violation
2 Light/Sign violation LSV 2 N2,000
3 Road Marking Violation RMV 5 N5,000
4 Route violation RTV 10 N10,000
5 Speed Limit Violation SLV 5 N5,000
6 Unauthorised Tampering / Removal of UTS 5 N5,000
Road Signs
7 Wrongful Overtaking WOV 3 N3,000
8 Other offences/violations OFV 2 N3,000

Penalty points are points that allotted to traffic offences accumulated in a driver's record.
The implications of such penalty points are given below.

 Warning (10 - 14 penalty points)

 Suspension of licence (15 - 20 penalty points)
 Withdrawal of licence (21 and above penalty points)

Therefore, in order to remain law abiding citizens and make our highways safe, it is required
that among other things, we must understand and know road signs in Nigeria, and recognise
them wherever we see them.

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

2.0 Categories of road signs in Nigeria

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 (see Table A, No 1). As the name implies, they
are signs that warn you about what is ahead, or instructional
warning about a specific 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 (see Table B, No 1).
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 blue background, white

inscription, and sometime with white border. They give positive
instructions.

C. Informative Signs

These signs are usually rectangular in shape with green

background colour; they provide guidance or information.

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

Now, all these road traffic signs are shown in full in Tables A to D below.

TABLE A: WARNING SIGNS

S/No SIGN MEANING

1

Give way to traffic on your

right or give way to traffic on
your left. Yield every right of
way

General danger sign

Roundabout

Narrow Bridge

Carriageway Narrows

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE A: WARNING SIGNS (CONT’D)

S/No SIGN MEANING

6

Carriageway Widens

Crossroad

Y-Junction

T-Junction

10

Dangerous Bend Left

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE A: WARNING SIGNS (CONT’D)

S/No SIGN MEANING

11

Dangerous Bend Right

12

Dangerous Double Bend

13

Intersection with minor road

14

Intersection with major road

15

Road Works / Men at Work

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE A: WARNING SIGNS (CONT’D)

S/No SIGN MEANING

16

Pedestrian Crossing

17

Children Crossing

18

Blind people crossing

19

Beware of animals

20

Long grade dangerous hill

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE B: REGULATORY SIGNS (PROHIBITORY)

S/No SIGN MEANING

1

Stop

Stop for Police check

Stop for highway survey

Speed Limit (Maximum)

Closed to all vehicles

No horn

No stopping

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE B: REGULATORY SIGNS (PROHIBITORY) CONT’D

S/No SIGN MEANING

8

No entry for lorries

No entry to pedal cycles

10

Parking Prohibited

11

No entry for all vehicles

12

No right turn

13

Give way to traffic on your

left

14

No waiting

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE B: REGULATORY SIGNS (PROHIBITORY) CONT’D

S/No SIGN MEANING

15

No U-turn

16

No entry for vehicles

exceeding 12 metric tonnes
laden weight

17

No entry for vehicles

exceeding 8 metric tonnes
axle load

18

No entry for vehicles

exceeding 2m length

19

No entry for vehicles

exceeding 3m height

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE C: REGULATORY SIGNS (MANDATORY)

S/No SIGN MEANING

1

Speed Limit (minimum)

Direction to be followed

One Way / Diversion

Two Way

Pass either side

Roundabout

Keep right

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE C: REGULATORY SIGNS (MANDATORY) CONT’D

S/No SIGN MEANING

8

2 Lane Way Ahead

Divided 2 Lane Way Ahead

10

Priority to approaching
vehicle

11

4 Lane Undivided Two Way

Ahead

12

4 Lane Divided Two Way

Ahead

13

4 Lane Two Way Ahead

Proceed 2 Lanes

14

4 Lane Two Way ahead

Proceed 1 Lane

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

TABLE C: REGULATORY SIGNS (MANDATORY) CONT’D

S/No SIGN MEANING

15

GO sign for temporary traffic

control

16

STOP sign for temporary

traffic control

17

End Diversion

18

Compulsory Cycle track

TABLE D: INFORMATIVE SIGNS

S/No SIGN MEANING

1

Route Assurance Sign

(Minna 25 km)

Advance Direction Sign

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TABLE D: INFORMATIVE SIGNS (CONT’D)

S/No SIGN MEANING

3

Place name (Oworonshoki)

Route Sign

Direction Sign (to Ikot

Ekpene)

Motor Park

Parking

Direction to Airport

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INFORMATIVE SIGNS (CONT’D)

S/No SIGN MEANING

9

Direction to wharf

10

First Aid Station

11

Hospital

12

Filling Station

13

Mechanical Help

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 Nigeria Road Traffic Signs and their Meanings.... Ubani Obinna U. (2016)

3.0 Traffic Lights/Signals

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

Plate 1.1: Red Phase Plate 1.2: Amber Phase Plate 1.3: Green Phase

4.0 Conclusion
The major road signs that are seen almost everywhere in the urban regions of Nigeria have
been presented in this paper. The main aim is to ensure that Nigerians get more
knowledgeable about road traffic issues and road safety. However, these are not all the road
signs available, but the information provided here can go a long way in helping one get more
knowledgeable. For more knowledge and information, kindly purchase a copy of ‘Nigeria
Highway Code’ at the nearest Federal Road Safety Corps Command near you.

Acknowledgement
I wish to thank the 2015 Batch ‘B’ and 2016 Batch ‘A’ NYSC Federal Road Safety Club
members in Ikot Ekpene L.G.A., Akwa Ibom state, for their support, encouragement, and
motivation. I also wish to thank all the Road Safety Marshals at RS 6.32 Ikot Ekpene Unit
Command for their support, especially the Unit Commander ACC N. Agbeb, the Head of
Operations, RC A.E. Otonkue, the Head of Department of Road Safety Club, RC T.A. Andi
and Licence Officer RC L.L Bor. God bless you all.

Reference(s)
[1] FRSC Nigeria (2013): Nigeria Highway Code. ISBN 978-978-48272-7-0. Detailworks
printers

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