Lagos Set To Roll Out State-issued Driver’s Licence

Femi Ashekun/

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to introduce a state-issued driver’s licence in collaboration with the Federal Government.

The initiative was disclosed by Lagos Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during the 2026 ministerial press briefing held in Ikeja as part of activities marking the second-term anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

According to Osiyemi, the proposed Lagos driver’s licence scheme is expected to become operational within the next few weeks, subject to the governor’s final approval.

He explained that motorists would be free to choose between the existing federal driver’s licence and the new Lagos-issued version under a joint arrangement with relevant federal authorities.

“Our Lagos driver’s licence will be launched in a couple of weeks as we get a nod from Mr Governor,” the commissioner said during the briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.

State officials said the initiative is aimed at reducing the delays often associated with obtaining or renewing driver’s licences in Nigeria, while also strengthening road safety enforcement and traffic administration in Lagos, Africa’s most populous city.

Osiyemi stated that the proposed licensing framework forms part of the broader transportation reform agenda of the Sanwo-Olu administration, particularly in areas such as digital enforcement, vehicle monitoring and regulatory compliance.

The commissioner also revealed that Lagos processed 56,876 driver’s licence applications within the review period in conjunction with the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

The figure comprised 27,067 fresh applications and 29,810 renewals.

In addition, 1,158 international driving permits were issued during the same period.

Officials further disclosed that the Lagos State Vehicle Inspection Service had intensified enforcement of the “No Vehicle Inspection, No Roadworthiness Certificate” policy using technology-driven monitoring systems designed to remove unroadworthy vehicles from the roads.

According to the government, more than 1.1 million roadworthiness certificates were issued between May 2025 and April 2026.

The government also said no fewer than 737,340 traffic violations were recorded within one year through its Automated Number Plate Recognition camera system, underscoring the scale of traffic management challenges confronting the state.

Beyond the new licensing scheme, the state government used the briefing to provide updates on ongoing rail transport projects, including the Blue Line, Red Line and proposed Green Line corridors aimed at easing urban transportation pressure across the state.

Officials said the second phase of the Blue Line extension from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2027.

While the Federal Government currently oversees the conventional driver’s licence framework nationwide through the FRSC, Lagos authorities insist the new arrangement is designed to complement, rather than replace, the existing federal system.