People who repeatedly take to Lagos streets to beg could face up to two years in prison if a new bill before the Lagos State House of Assembly becomes law, while those who use children for begging may also face prosecution.
The proposed Street Begging and Street Urchins (Prohibition, Prevention and Rehabilitation) Bill 2026 seeks to remove begging and street urchins from public spaces across the state while introducing a rehabilitation framework for people apprehended under the proposed law.
The legislation was the subject of a public hearing by the Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday, September 15, as the state moves to address the growing presence of beggars and street urchins around highways, bridges, markets, motor parks, bus stops and traffic intersections.
Under the proposed penalty structure, a first offender would receive a warning and be referred to a rehabilitation and custodial centre. A second offender could be fined up to ₦200,000, given a non-custodial sentence of up to three months, or both.
For serial offenders, the bill proposes a custodial sentence of up to two years.
The proposed law also targets parents, guardians and custodians who permit or use children in their care for street begging, with such persons liable to prosecution under applicable child-protection legislation as well as sanctions under the new law.
Beyond begging itself, the bill seeks to prohibit loitering, sleeping, residing, assembling or erecting temporary or permanent structures in public or private spaces for the purpose of begging.
The Environmental Sanitation Corps Agency is proposed as the lead enforcement body, working with the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps.
Authorised enforcement officers would have powers to arrest suspected offenders without a warrant and seize items allegedly used in committing the offence, after which suspects would undergo profiling and documentation before being handed to the police or directed into legal and rehabilitation processes.
The details of the proposed legislation were reported by TVC News, which said it obtained the draft from the official Instagram account of the Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch, in connection with the public hearing.
