Abuja: The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says sustained technological reforms in Nigeria’s driver licensing system have significantly improved transparency, reduced fraud, and strengthened road safety administration nationwide. The Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) in charge of operations, Olusegun Ogungbemide, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ogungbemide, the former Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), stated that the FRSC had adopted several technological upgrades aimed at improving efficiency in the production, verification, and distribution of driver’s licences across the country. He explained that one of the major improvements was the activation of a second driver licence print farm in Lagos with the capacity to produce about 1,800 cards per hour.
The corps has also overhauled the print farm in Kado, Abuja, to enhance its operational efficiency and support faster processing of driver’s licences. Another notable innovation is the introduction of a contactless biometric capture system, allowing premium driver’s licences to be printed within 24 hours.
The FRSC has also strengthened its card distribution system, enabling faster dispatch of printed licences to State Motor Vehicle Administration offices for collection by applicants. Nigeria’s National Driver’s Licence database plays a crucial role in verifying drivers and preventing fraud within the system. Ogungbemide emphasized that the database, domiciled with the FRSC, is fraud-proof, and its integrity has made the Nigerian driver’s licence acceptable in some Western countries due to the provision for authentication.
Ogungbemide noted that public awareness had increased significantly, with many Nigerians now understanding that the legitimacy of a driver’s licence depended largely on the process through which it was obtained. The licensing process now begins with acquiring digitalised driving school certificates generated through a highly automated system. The code generated from the digitalised certificate is required to access the portal for processing the driver’s licence before the applicant proceeds for biometric capture.
He clarified that biometric capture mainly serves the purpose of authentication rather than determining the competence of an applicant. The responsibility of confirming the driving competence of applicants lies with the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS). It is the responsibility of the VIS to ensure that the individual they present to FRSC for biometric capture has been tested and confirmed to be a qualified driver.
Despite the improvements, certain challenges still affect the driver’s licence processing framework in the country. Ogungbemide pointed out that many Nigerians still attempt to circumvent established procedures instead of following the transparent and authentic process required to obtain valid licences.
In view of this, the FRSC is working closely with driving schools across the country to ensure that drivers receive proper training before licences are issued. Measures adopted by the corps to regulate and strengthen the operations of driving schools include regular workshops for proprietors and instructors to update them on global standards and best practices. Strict criteria are applied in the ratification of driving schools to ensure they meet international standards.
Regular inspections are carried out to ensure compliance, while ratified driving schools are publicly listed on the FRSC website. The corps also maintains a strict disciplinary framework, including the immediate blacklisting of driving schools found to be involved in infractions.
Ogungbemide disclosed that the FRSC is exploring the possibility of introducing fully digital or mobile driver licences in Nigeria. With advances in technology and personnel capacity building, full digitalisation of the process is being assessed as a future advancement that adds value to the entire process, while mobile driver’s licences are considered convenient and safer to operate.