Technological reforms drastically reducing driver licensing fraud — FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has reported a significant reduction in licensing fraud and improved operational transparency, attributing these gains to sustained technological reforms across Nigeria’s driver licensing system.

Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) in charge of Operations, Olusegun Ogungbemide, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja, noting that the Corps has overhauled its production and verification infrastructure to align with global standards.

Key upgrades include the activation of a high-capacity print farm in Lagos, capable of producing 1,800 cards per hour, and the modernization of the Kado, Abuja facility to expedite processing.

"The digitalization of the licensing process has greatly reduced cases of fake driver licences," Ogungbemide stated.

He highlighted the introduction of a contactless biometric capture system, which now allows for the printing of premium driver licences within 24 hours.

He emphasized that the national driver licence database is now fraud-proof, a level of integrity that has led to the increased international recognition and authentication of Nigerian licences in various Western countries.

The licensing process has also become more stringent.

Applicants are now required to obtain a digitalized driving school certificate, which generates a unique code necessary to access the licensing portal.

Ogungbemide clarified that while the FRSC manages the authentication and data integrity of the process, the responsibility of ensuring an applicant's driving competence remains with the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS).

Despite these advancements, the Corps continues to face the challenge of citizens attempting to cut corners.

In response, the FRSC has intensified its regulation of driving schools, implementing regular workshops to update instructors on global best practices, establishing strict ratification criteria for all schools, conducting frequent inspections to ensure compliance, and maintaining a disciplinary framework that includes the immediate blacklisting of schools found involved in infractions.

Looking ahead, ACM Ogungbemide revealed that the FRSC is actively exploring the transition to fully mobile driver licences.

"Future full digitalization of the process is the way to go," he said, expressing confidence that with continued technological investment and personnel training, mobile licences will be a reality for Nigerians in the near future.