The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has introduced a new contactless biometric capture system for the issuance of driver’s licences, marking a major advancement in the digital transformation of motor vehicle administration in Nigeria.
This initiative coincides with the launch of the Corps’ 2025 Ember Months Road Safety Campaign, designed to reduce accidents during the high-traffic festive season.
The campaign, which began on Monday in Abuja, carries the theme “Tech Responsibility for Your Safety: Stop Distracted Driving.” It focuses on addressing unsafe driving habits that typically lead to higher crash rates between December 15 and January 15.
During the flag-off ceremony, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed announced that the new licensing system would eradicate delays and eliminate the issuance of temporary licences.
“We have activated plans to overcome the perennial challenges associated with delays in obtaining the driver’s license and number plates. Our printing facility has been upgraded to print an average of 15,000 driver’s licenses daily.
This production average will be increased to clear the backlog before the second week of November 2025,” the Corps Marshal noted.
He further explained that the Corps was ready to launch the new contactless biometric process, which allows on-the-spot printing of licences.
“We are also about to commence the contactless biometric capture with on-spot printing of the license, which will eliminate temporary licenses, thereby signaling the beginning of a digitalized one-stop-shop for processing driver’s licenses.
With this development, it is expected that delays and other challenges related to the national driver’s license will be history.”
Mohammed stated that the innovation was developed through collaboration with stakeholders, including state governments, since licensing is under the concurrent legislative list.
“Globally, we have seen how a driver’s licence has been obtained. As soon as you come, you get the driver’s license. What matters is the comprehensive data, the adequate data that will be stored for usage at any given time,” he said.
He added that the new model integrates driving schools, the Vehicle Inspection Office, and certification processes to ensure faster service delivery.
“We are almost through with the process. It is no longer going to be the process of putting hands on the biometric. This one is a contactless biometric. It doesn’t take time, and also, it captures all the essence required.”
According to him, the upgraded system will make licence issuance instantaneous.
“Once you reach the point of capture, you get captured and you get your driver’s licence instantly. There is no longer going to be a temporary driver’s licence. There’s no longer going to be two weeks, one month, six months, one year before you get your driver’s licence.”
The Corps Marshal noted that the process is linked with the National Identification Number (NIN) database for seamless verification and data accuracy. He described the new fingerprint technology as “seamless,” enabling biometric capture without physical contact.
The FRSC has also strengthened its collaboration with state governments, the Vehicle Inspection Office, and revenue agencies for nationwide implementation.
During a media tour of the FRSC Driver’s Licence Print Farm, Deputy Corps Marshal for Motor Vehicle Administration, Aliyu Datsama, confirmed that the new contactless system is already active and will soon be rolled out across the country, including Lagos.
He revealed that the FRSC had been working to address a massive licence backlog.
“We have been dealing with a massive backlog of 800,000 unprocessed driver’s licences, which has now been reduced to 400,000.
We are now working 24/7 to clear the remaining backlog.
Our current daily production capacity is 40,000 licences, and by the grace of God, we will clear everything in the next few weeks.”
Datsama also called on motorists to collect their processed licences.
“Over 206,000 licences remain unclaimed across various states.”
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