The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has introduced a contactless biometric capture system for driver’s licence issuance, marking a major step toward full digitalisation in Nigeria’s motor vehicle administration.

The new system was unveiled 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 aims to minimise road accidents during the high-risk festive season from December 15 to January 15.

Speaking at the launch, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed said the digital licence system will eliminate delays and end the use of temporary documents.

“We have activated plans to overcome the perennial challenges associated with delays in obtaining the driver’s licence and number plates. Our printing facility has been upgraded to print an average of 15,000 driver’s licenses daily,” he said, adding that production will be scaled up to clear the current backlog by the second week of November 2025.

He announced that the forthcoming contactless biometric capture will enable on-the-spot licence printing.

“With this development, it is expected that delays and other challenges related to the national driver’s license will be history,” Mohammed said.

The Corps Marshal explained that the upgraded system was developed in collaboration with state governments and key stakeholders, ensuring compliance with the concurrent legislative framework governing licensing.

According to him, the process will fully integrate existing driving schools, the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), and certification pathways, but with faster execution. The new contactless fingerprint technology captures biometric data without physical touch, enabling instant licence issuance.

“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,” he assured, noting that the system is synchronised with the National Identification Number (NIN) database for seamless identity verification.

During a media tour of the FRSC’s Driver’s Licence Print Farm, Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of Motor Vehicle Administration, Aliyu Datsama, confirmed that the contactless system is already operational and will soon be deployed nationwide, including in Lagos.

Datsama revealed that the Corps has reduced its backlog of 800,000 unprocessed licences to 400,000 and is currently operating round-the-clock to clear the remainder.

“Our current daily production capacity is 40,000 licences, and by the grace of God, we will clear everything in the next few weeks,” he said.

He also urged Nigerians who have completed biometric capture to collect their licences, noting that over 206,000 remain unclaimed across various states.

The FRSC says it is strengthening partnerships with state governments, the VIO, and state revenue agencies to ensure smooth nationwide implementation of the new digital licensing system.