FRSC introduces contactless biometric System to end temporary drivers’ licences

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that obtaining a driver’s licence in Nigeria will now be seamless, following the introduction of a contactless biometric capture system that will eliminate the use of temporary licences and long waiting periods. Speaking during the flag-off of the 2025 Ember Months Public Enlightenment and Sensitisation Campaign on Monday in Abuja, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said the new system is part of efforts to fully digitalise FRSC operations and simplify the driver’s licence process nationwide. The Corps Marshal noted that the FRSC has already upgraded its printing facilities to handle increased production and clear backlogs ahead of November 2025. He added that the process would eliminate the era of temporary licences and long waiting times for permanent ones.
Mohammed explained that the new technology will ensure instant capture and issuance of permanent licences, ending delays that had caused frustration for applicants over the years. He said the move aligns with the Corps’ broader commitment to technology-driven road administration and improved service delivery. He said, “It’s seamless now. You don’t need to put your hand on this device to get your fingerprint. You just use the device to take the fingerprint from the system, and it will be implemented automatically. All your details will be captured and synchronized with our database. This one is contactless biometric that we’re going to use. “At the end of the day, once you reach the point of capture, you get captured and you get your driver’s licence. There’s 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. That is the state where we will get it. We are almost through with the process, and the contactless biometric system will commence this month. Once it starts, all applicants will experience a digitalised, one-stop process that delivers their licence instantly. It will be seamless, faster, and fully synchronized with the national database.”
The FRSC boss also disclosed that the Corps recorded a decline in road crash fatalities compared to last year’s figures. According to him, data from the 2024 Operation Zero (December 15, 2024 – January 15, 2025) showed that 432 persons were killed and 2,070 injured in 533 reported cases of road crashes. However, between January and September 2025, the figures showed improvement, with 3,433 persons killed and 22,162 injured out of 6,858 reported crashes nationwide.
Mohammed said the Corps will intensify its ember months operations with targeted campaigns against distracted driving, fatigue, overloading, and use of phones while driving. The Corps Marshal further disclosed that FRSC will host an International Conference on Road Crash Victims for Africa from November 16–18, 2025, in partnership with the KRSD Road Safety Foundation, to strengthen post-crash care in line with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety. During a visit to the FRSC Driver’s Licence Print Farm, Deputy Corps Marshal (Motor Vehicle Administration), Aliyu Datsama, confirmed that the Corps has ramped up production to clear the pending backlog. According to him, the permanent drivers card will be issued in the Abuja farm and sent to other states after it is completed. He said, “We work 24-7 now because of the backlog we have. We were having 800,000 backlog, but now we have reduced it to 400,000. Our daily production here is 40,000. In the next few weeks, we’ll clear everything, by the grace of God.”