Road traffic signs serve several purposes: some road signs are placed on roads to point out directions to motorists; some are placed there to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians; some are there to give us an idea of what to expect ahead of us, etc.


Technically, road signs are traffic languages. They communicate specific messages to motorists and pedestrians.

Every motorists – and in some cases, pedestrians – are expected to have an understanding of what these signs represents.

It is because of this that the teaching of road traffic signs and their meanings are an essential topic taught at driving schools. Unfortunately, most motorists in Nigeria did not pass through formal driving schools.

Road signs are typically represented as symbols or annotations. In Nigeria, there is an enormous lack of understanding of what these symbols used in road signs represent. And as such, it is very common in Nigeria for the authorities in charge of producing road signs to produce road signs with symbols together with their meanings spelt out on them.

Anyway, Autojosh presents an explanation of 15 common road signs that most Nigerian motorists do not know their meanings.


1. PED Xing

This sign is one of the most confusing road signs that motorists come across in Nigeria. However, it is better understood when represented in its pictorial form. It actually means, “Pedestrian crossing”. This sign is often placed ahead of or near zebra crossings.



No Entry/ Do Not Enter

This signs is used to indicate that there is no entry for vehicular traffic. It is placed at the exit of some roads to inform motorist that they cannot drive into that road. It is often used at intersections to roads with one-way traffic.





No Stopping

A ‘No Stopping’ sign instructs motorists to keep moving and must not stop at any time, not for a minute, not for a second, not for a jiffy, on the road or in an area to which the ‘No Stopping’ sign applies.






No Waiting

Just like the “No Stopping” sign, this sign is placed along roads or streets to instruct drivers to keep driving or keep their vehicles in motion and not to stop. The difference is that, this signs allows a motorist to stop – to drop off or pick up a passenger, etc. Staying longer than necessary can be viewed as “waiting” or violation of the No Waiting instruction.




Turn On Red

This sign is placed at intersections where there are traffic lights. This sign generally permits vehicles to make a right turn even when the traffic light is on red. In other words, this sign gives permission to vehicles to turn into the next junction on the right nearer to them, even when the traffic light is showing a red signal and without having to wait for a green signal.






Sharp Deviation of Route or “Chevron” Sign

The chevron sign is positioned to warn motorists of a suden change in traffic direction. That is, they are positioned at places where traffic makes a sudden change in its course or direction , such as bends in the road or at round about. The chevron pattern pointing in the direction that traffic has to turn.






No Overtaking

This sign is typically placed on two-way roads that are too narrow or are too risky for vehicles to attempt to overtake vehicles ahead of them. They are also placed at bends, dips in the road or where there are trees.




Lane Merge Left

This signs warns motorist that the lane that they are on narrows as they drive ahead. And such narrow end merges with a parallel lane to the left.




Lane Merge Right

This signs warns motorist that the lane that they are on narrows as the y drive ahead or as it ends. And such narrow end merges with a parallel lane to the right.




Narrow Bridge Ahead

This sign is placed ahead of a location where there is a narrow bridge. This sign is intended to get motorists to reduce their speed and drive cautiously as they approach the bridge.




Keep Right

This sign instructs motorists to keep to the right side of a two-way road. Driving into the left side of the road is a violation of this traffic instruction.






Keep Left

This sign instructs motorists to keep to the left side of a two-way road. Driving into the right side of the road is a violation of this traffic instruction.




Dangerous Turn Right

This signs warns motorists that the road ahead is about to turn sharply in the direction of the arrow, in this case, to the right.




Dangerous Turn Left

This signs warns motorists that the road ahead is about to turn sharply in the direction of the arrow, in this case, to the left.




Pass Either Way

The sign informs motorists that they can pass either side of a diving road to reach the same destination or different directions.




Off Side Rule; Do Not Enter

This sign is usually placed at intersections where there is a traffic light. It warns motorists that have been halted by the traffic light not to drive into a pattern of lines drawn on the ground ahead of the traffic light. This philosophy was borrowed from the “offside” rule in Soccer.






Narrows Road Ahead

This sign informs motorists that as they drive on the road, the road narrows ahead of them



Bumps Ahead

This sign is used to warn motorists that there is a bump ahead or an uneven road surface on the road. This warning is intended to get motorists to reduce their speeds at certain points.




https://autojosh.com/18-common-road-signs-that-most-motorists-in-nigeria-dont-know-their-meanings/

wetin consign. danfo/molue driver with road sign? *CMS*straight. ......,wole pelu change e

Informative
Thanks AutoJoshNG
.

Okay

ok

all these people above me,na 6g network una dey use?mind yourself oh.una no won dash me ftc small

Especially Abuja drivers. Most of them don't even bother with driving school.

informative,

i often see drivers get so confuse when the traffic light keep flashing yellow light continuously especially at night please note flashing yellow light means proceed with caution

Come my state you go know say every motorist get different understanding

Educative topic.
Thanks

OP you forgot :Don't stop keep moving Fulani Herdsmen approaching

Thank you AutoJosh....

Am.very sure a lot of Road Safety Officers don't know these signs.

Honestly I did not know some...thanks

most were taught how to drive by relatives who won't take the time to teach em about what those signs stands for hence the constant road mishaps

Danfo drivers don't know this. Most Nigerian road users are mad

Educating

What's the difference between dangerous turn left/ right and the chevron??

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for this info.

Not familiar with just 2 signs the offline and keep to right lane .. we have offline at osogbo but the other sign no .. no o said no no

Nice

AutoJoshNG:
Road traffic signs serve several purposes: some road signs are placed on roads to point out directions to motorists; some are placed there to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians; some are there to give us an idea of what to expect ahead of us, etc.


Technically, road signs are traffic languages. They communicate specific messages to motorists and pedestrians.

Every motorists – and in some cases, pedestrians – are expected to have an understanding of what these signs represents.

It is because of this that the teaching of road traffic signs and their meanings are an essential topic taught at driving schools. Unfortunately, most motorists in Nigeria did not pass through formal driving schools.

Road signs are typically represented as symbols or annotations. In Nigeria, there is an enormous lack of understanding of what these symbols used in road signs represent. And as such, it is very common in Nigeria for the authorities in charge of producing road signs to produce road signs with symbols together with their meanings spelt out on them.

Anyway, Autojosh presents an explanation of 15 common road signs that most Nigerian motorists do not know their meanings.


1. PED Xing

This sign is one of the most confusing road signs that motorists come across in Nigeria. However, it is better understood when represented in its pictorial form. It actually means, “Pedestrian crossing”. This sign is often placed ahead of or near zebra crossings.



No Entry/ Do Not Enter

This signs is used to indicate that there is no entry for vehicular traffic. It is placed at the exit of some roads to inform motorist that they cannot drive into that road. It is often used at intersections to roads with one-way traffic.





No Stopping

A ‘No Stopping’ sign instructs motorists to keep moving and must not stop at any time, not for a minute, not for a second, not for a jiffy, on the road or in an area to which the ‘No Stopping’ sign applies.






No Waiting

Just like the “No Stopping” sign, this sign is placed along roads or streets to instruct drivers to keep driving or keep their vehicles in motion and not to stop. The difference is that, this signs allows a motorist to stop – to drop off or pick up a passenger, etc. Staying longer than necessary can be viewed as “waiting” or violation of the No Waiting instruction.




Turn On Red

This sign is placed at intersections where there are traffic lights. This sign generally permits vehicles to make a right turn even when the traffic light is on red. In other words, this sign gives permission to vehicles to turn into the next junction on the right nearer to them, even when the traffic light is showing a red signal and without having to wait for a green signal.






Sharp Deviation of Route or “Chevron” Sign

The chevron sign is positioned to warn motorists of a suden change in traffic direction. That is, they are positioned at places where traffic makes a sudden change in its course or direction , such as bends in the road or at round about. The chevron pattern pointing in the direction that traffic has to turn.






No Overtaking

This sign is typically placed on two-way roads that are too narrow or are too risky for vehicles to attempt to overtake vehicles ahead of them. They are also placed at bends, dips in the road or where there are trees.




Lane Merge Left

This signs warns motorist that the lane that they are on narrows as they drive ahead. And such narrow end merges with a parallel lane to the left.




Lane Merge Right

This signs warns motorist that the lane that they are on narrows as the y drive ahead or as it ends. And such narrow end merges with a parallel lane to the right.




Narrow Bridge Ahead

This sign is placed ahead of a location where there is a narrow bridge. This sign is intended to get motorists to reduce their speed and drive cautiously as they approach the bridge.




Keep Right

This sign instructs motorists to keep to the right side of a two-way road. Driving into the left side of the road is a violation of this traffic instruction.






Keep Left

This sign instructs motorists to keep to the left side of a two-way road. Driving into the right side of the road is a violation of this traffic instruction.




Dangerous Turn Right

This signs warns motorists that the road ahead is about to turn sharply in the direction of the arrow, in this case, to the right.




Dangerous Turn Left

This signs warns motorists that the road ahead is about to turn sharply in the direction of the arrow, in this case, to the left.




Pass Either Way

The sign informs motorists that they can pass either side of a diving road to reach the same destination or different directions.




Off Side Rule; Do Not Enter

This sign is usually placed at intersections where there is a traffic light. It warns motorists that have been halted by the traffic light not to drive into a pattern of lines drawn on the ground ahead of the traffic light. This philosophy was borrowed from the “offside” rule in Soccer.






Narrows Road Ahead

This sign informs motorists that as they drive on the road, the road narrows ahead of them



Bumps Ahead

This sign is used to warn motorists that there is a bump ahead or an uneven road surface on the road. This warning is intended to get motorists to reduce their speeds at certain points.




https://autojosh.com/18-common-road-signs-that-most-motorists-in-nigeria-dont-know-their-meanings/

Your heading is insulting. Why use "most"?

ok

There is no road sign called offside rule. They are called box junctions. You only enter them if your exit is assured

sorry to say, Nigeria is a daft society, with zero human investment to protect and value infrastructures. installing those traffic signs on roads is a waste of time esp zebra crossing, traffic light, pedestrian bridges etc.

Nigerians are alwez in a haste!! I wonder why the west who we seems to be copying from are still obeying theirs.

secondly no serious and strong Traffic law to punish traffic defaulters

Nice thread but I disagree with the curvy arrow to the right and left. It doesn't necessarily mean there is a sharp bend right or left, it simply means if you are on this road you must o my drive to the right or left and the case maybe. For example if there's a right curve sign it means you can only drive to the right and not left or straight ahead

Oya interprete

Are these all the road signs?

Educative post. Nice one.

Nigeria is a country where it is possible to live without obeying any laws. That does not mean that since nobody will catch you, kukuma break the laws.
Obey laws because they are a way of life.
In developed countries, people are enslaved to the laws. They don't want to obey laws too, just like Nigerians, but their system has trapped them that they cannot escape. And it is no longer fun to even live there with 1000 laws.
Better to get used to obeying the laws now before it becomes totally enforced upon you.

Now in Naija, it is possible to get the name of the car owner just by checking the number plate online. In UK (that I know O!), they can also get your home address and come and knock on your door. Where can you hide? Nigeria will get there (I hate internet)/

airsaylongcon:
There is no road sign called offside rule. They are called box junctions. You only enter them if your exit is assured

seconded, I almost want to return to driving school

Where is roundabout