The Lagos State Government has announced plans to launch a state-owned driver’s licence in partnership with the Federal Government as part of efforts to improve road safety and traffic management.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing held in Ikeja.
According to him, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is expected to approve the rollout of the licence scheme in the coming weeks.
“Our Lagos driver’s licence will be launched in a couple of weeks as we get a nod from Mr Governor,” Osiyemi said.
He explained that motorists would have the option of obtaining either the federal driver’s licence or the Lagos-issued licence, adding that the initiative is aimed at improving efficiency in the licensing process and reducing delays experienced by applicants.
Osiyemi revealed that a total of 56,876 driver’s licences were processed within the review period, including 27,067 new applications and 29,810 renewals carried out in collaboration with the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency and the Federal Road Safety Corps.
He added that 1,158 international driving permits were also processed during the same period.
On rail transportation, the commissioner said the second phase of the Lagos Blue Line Rail project, stretching from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027 to enable full commercial operations.
He noted that the first phase of the Blue Line recorded about 3.5 million passengers in 2025.
Speaking further, Osiyemi disclosed that the state government procured 24 new train coaches arranged into three sets of eight-coach trains to improve passenger movement along the Red Line corridor.
He added that work has intensified on the proposed 68-kilometre Green Line rail project, expected to connect Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone through Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah and Sangotedo.
Meanwhile, motorists across Nigeria have continued to lament delays associated with the processing of driver’s licences at various offices of the Federal Road Safety Corps nationwide.
The Nigerian driver’s licence system is supervised by the FRSC in partnership with licensing authorities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Applicants are typically required to undergo biometric capturing before receiving a temporary licence valid for 60 days while awaiting the permanent plastic card. However, findings indicate that many motorists wait several months without receiving the permanent cards, a situation that has exposed them to harassment by law enforcement officers on the roads.
