ABUJA: The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has unveiled a new contactless biometric capture system for the instant issuance of driver’s licences, marking a major leap toward full digitalisation in Nigeria’s motor vehicle administration.
The announcement came on Monday in Abuja during the launch of the 2025 Ember Months Road Safety Campaign, themed Tech Responsibility for Your Safety: Stop Distracted Driving.
The campaign targets risky driving habits that often cause spikes in accidents between December 15 and January 15, a period known for heightened travel across the country.
Speaking at the launch, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed said the new digital system would eliminate processing delays and the need for temporary license’s.
We have activated plans to overcome the perennial challenges associated with delays in obtaining driver’s licences and number plates, Mohammed said.
“Our upgraded printing facility can now produce an average of 15,000 licences daily, and we aim to clear the backlog before the second week of November.
According to him, the contactless biometric system enables instant data capture and on-the-spot licence printing, signalling the beginning of a fully automated one-stop shop for driver’s licence processing.
Once you reach the capture point, you get your driver’s licence immediately. No more temporary licences or waiting for weeks and months,” he added.
Mohammed said the system was developed in collaboration with state governments and key stakeholders since licensing falls under the concurrent legislative list.
The contactless system integrates existing databases from driving schools, the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), and certification units, ensuring a faster and more secure process.
He explained that the new technology captures biometric data without physical contact, reading fingerprints from a short distance to enhance speed and hygiene.
The process is also synchronised with the National Identification Number (NIN) database to ensure accurate identity verification and prevent duplication.
During a media tour of the FRSC Driver’s Licence Print Farm in Abuja, the Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of Motor Vehicle Administration, Aliyu Datsama, revealed that the system is already operational and will soon be deployed nationwide, including Lagos.
He disclosed that the corps had reduced its backlog of 800,000 unprocessed driver’s licences to 400,000, with efforts underway to clear the remainder within weeks.
Our current daily production capacity is 40,000 licences. By God’s grace, we will clear the entire backlog shortly, Datsama said.
He also urged motorists who have completed biometric capture to visit FRSC offices to collect their licences, noting that over 206,000 licences remain unclaimed across the states.
The FRSC’s digital licensing initiative is part of a broader effort to modernise Nigeria’s road safety and motor vehicle administration system, ensuring transparency, accountability, and efficiency.
With the rollout of the contactless system, the corps believes delays, duplication, and fake licences will soon be a thing of the past ushering in a new era of instant, secure, and technology-driven service delivery for Nigerian road users.
