FRSC introduces Contactless Biometric System to speed up Driver’s Licence issuance

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has unveiled a new contactless biometric capture system aimed at making the process of obtaining a driver’s licence in Nigeria faster and more efficient, while eliminating the use of temporary licences and long delays.

Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Ember Months Public Enlightenment and Sensitisation Campaign in Abuja on Monday, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said the initiative is part of the Corps’ efforts to digitalise operations and simplify the licence process nationwide.

Mohammed revealed that the FRSC had upgraded its printing facilities to handle higher production capacity and clear existing backlogs before November 2025. He assured that with the new technology, applicants will receive their permanent licences immediately after biometric capture.

“It’s seamless now. You don’t need to place your hand on a device for fingerprint capture. The system automatically captures and synchronizes your details with our database. This is a contactless biometric system that will revolutionize our operations,” Mohammed stated.

He added, “Once captured, you get your driver’s licence immediately. There will be no more temporary licences or waiting for weeks or months before collection.”

The Corps Marshal confirmed that the contactless system would be rolled out this month, ensuring applicants experience a fully digital, one-stop process linked to the national database.

On road safety, Mohammed disclosed that road crash fatalities had declined compared to previous years. Data from the 2024 Operation Zero (December 15, 2024 – January 15, 2025) showed 432 deaths and 2,070 injuries from 533 crashes, while between January and September 2025, 3,433 deaths and 22,162 injuries were recorded in 6,858 crashes — indicating a relative improvement.

He further noted that the FRSC will intensify campaigns during the Ember Months to tackle distracted driving, overloading, fatigue, and the use of phones while driving.

Mohammed also announced plans to host the International Conference on Road Crash Victims for Africa from November 16–18, 2025, in partnership with the KRSD Road Safety Foundation, to improve post-crash care in line with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.

During a visit to the FRSC Driver’s Licence Print Farm, the Deputy Corps Marshal (Motor Vehicle Administration), Aliyu Datsama, said the Corps had scaled up production to reduce backlogs.

“We work 24/7 now because of the backlog we had. It was about 800,000, but we’ve reduced it to 400,000. Our daily production rate is 40,000, and in the next few weeks, we’ll clear everything, by the grace of God,” Datsama said.

The FRSC reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging technology to enhance service delivery and ensure safer roads across the country.