The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has unveiled a contactless biometric capture system for driver’s licence issuance, marking a major step in Nigeria’s digital transformation in road administration.
The move aligns with the Corps’ broader goal of improving efficiency and eliminating the long-standing delays that have plagued the process.
The announcement came during the 2025 Ember Months Road Safety Campaign launch in Abuja, themed “Tech Responsibility for Your Safety: Stop Distracted Driving.” The campaign targets reckless driving habits typically associated with the December to January festive rush, when accident rates often spike.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed said the initiative would remove the need for temporary licences and accelerate the overall process. “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,” he said. He added that the Corps aims to clear all outstanding backlogs before mid-November 2025.
Mohammed explained that the new contactless system will enable instant biometric capture and on-the-spot printing. “We are 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,” he stated.
He also noted that the innovation was developed in consultation with state governments and other key stakeholders, given that vehicle licensing falls under Nigeria’s concurrent legislative list. “Globally, as soon as you come, you get the driver’s license. What matters is the comprehensive data that will be stored for usage at any given time,” he said.
The Corps Marshal added that the system would integrate the operations of driving schools, Vehicle Inspection Offices (VIOs), and certification authorities to create a single streamlined process. “It no longer requires putting hands on the biometric scanner. This one is contactless, it captures all required data in seconds,” he explained, emphasizing its safety and efficiency.
Once implemented nationwide, drivers will receive their licences immediately after capture. “There’s no longer going to be a temporary driver’s licence or months of waiting. Once you reach the point of capture, you get your driver’s licence instantly,” Mohammed affirmed.
The FRSC has also synchronized the system with the National Identification Number (NIN) database to ensure data consistency and prevent identity duplication. The new system, which uses advanced optical sensors to read fingerprints from a short distance, will significantly reduce processing errors and enhance verification accuracy.
During a press tour of the FRSC Driver’s Licence Print Farm, Deputy Corps Marshal Aliyu Datsama revealed that the Corps had already cut its backlog of 800,000 unprocessed licences to 400,000. “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 said, urging drivers to collect the 206,000 licences still unclaimed across states.
The contactless licence rollout is expected to deepen Nigeria’s digital governance efforts and improve public trust in transportation data systems. By merging technology with road safety, the FRSC aims to set a new benchmark for efficient service delivery in Africa’s transport sector.
