FRSC Launches Contactless System for Instant Driver’s Licence Issuance, Vows to Clear 400,000 Backlog

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced a major transformation in Nigeria’s motor vehicle administration with the commencement of a contactless biometric capture system for the issuance of the national driver’s license (NDL). This innovation is set to eliminate the long-standing challenge of delays and the use of temporary licenses.

Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja during the flag-off of the 2025 Ember Months Public Enlightenment and Sensitisation Campaign. He declared that the new system marks the beginning of a “digitalized one-stop shop for processing driver’s licences.”

“We are about to commence the contactless biometric capture with on-spot printing of the licence,” Mohammed stated. “With this development, it is expected that delays and other challenges related to the national driver’s licence will be history.”

According to the Corps Marshal, once an applicant reaches the point of capture, they will be captured using the seamless, contactless system and will receive their permanent driver’s license 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,” he assured the public. The new process is also synchronized with the National Identification Number (NIN) database for enhanced data integrity.

To ensure a smooth transition, the FRSC has significantly upgraded its printing facilities, boosting the daily production capacity to an impressive 40,000 licences. Deputy Corps Marshal Aliyu Datsama, who leads the Motor Vehicle Administration Department, confirmed during a press tour that the new contactless system is already operational and being rolled out nationwide.

He further disclosed that the Corps has already halved a huge NDL backlog, reducing the number of unprocessed licenses from 800,000 to 400,000. Datsama vowed that the FRSC is working 24/7 to clear the remaining backlog before mid-November 2025 and also urged applicants to collect over 206,000 unclaimed licences across various states.