Lagos to launch State driver’s license in weeks

By Imisioluwa Afunmiso

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to introduce a state driver’s license in partnership with the Federal Government.

This initiative is part of measures aimed at strengthening road safety, improving traffic regulation, and accelerating license processing for motorists.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, disclosed this on Monday during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held at Alausa, Ikeja, to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

Osiyemi noted that the Lagos State driver’s license would be launched within the next few weeks and will operate alongside the existing federal driver’s license system under a collaborative arrangement between both levels of government.

According to him, motorists will have the option of obtaining either the federal driver’s license or the new Lagos-issued license.

He explained that the initiative was designed to improve efficiency, reduce delays currently experienced by applicants, and promote order and safety on roads across the state.

The Commissioner noted that the proposed licensing system would also support the state government’s transportation reform agenda, particularly in the areas of digital enforcement, vehicle monitoring, and regulatory compliance.

Speaking further, Osiyemi said the Lagos State Vehicle Inspection Service has intensified enforcement of the “No Vehicle Inspection, No Roadworthiness Certificate” policy through technology-driven operations aimed at removing unroadworthy vehicles from the roads.

He further disclosed that a total of 1,114,080 roadworthiness certificates were issued during the review period, reflecting increased compliance with vehicle safety regulations in the state.

The Commissioner also revealed that Lagos recorded significant progress in digital traffic enforcement, with 737,340 traffic violations captured through the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera system.

He said this development highlights the state’s growing adoption of intelligent traffic management and digital surveillance technologies to improve road safety.

Osiyemi stated that in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, the state processed 27,067 fresh driver’s license applications and completed 29,810 renewals during the period under review.

The total number of driver’s licenses processed stood at 56,876, while 1,158 International Driver’s Permits were also issued.

The planned rollout of the Lagos State driver’s license is expected to mark another milestone in the government’s drive to modernize transportation administration and strengthen road safety enforcement in Nigeria’s commercial capital.