Unveils contactless licence system
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclosed that 3,433 persons lost their lives in road crashes across the country between January and September 2025, while 22,162 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in 6,858 reported accidents during the period.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja during the flag-off of the 2025 Ember Months Public Enlightenment and Sensitisation Campaign, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said although the figure remains worrisome, it represents a decline compared to 2024, indicating that current interventions were yielding positive results.
He cautioned motorists against speeding, overloading, night journeys, and the use of phones while driving, stressing the importance of patience and vigilance as traffic volume rises towards the end of the year.
Mohammed assured that the Corps was working closely with transport unions, state traffic agencies, and security formations to ensure safer roads during the festive period.
He said: “From our 2024 Operation Zero, which ran from December 15, 2024, to January 15, 2025, we recorded 432 deaths and 2,070 injuries from 533 crashes. But between January and September 2025, our data shows 3,433 deaths and 22,162 injuries from 6,858 crashes. Though the figures are still high, it is a reduction compared to the same period last year. We will continue to intensify campaigns and enforcement to bring it further down.”
The Corps Marshal also announced the introduction of a contactless biometric driver’s licence system designed to eliminate temporary licences and make the process faster and more seamless.
He explained: “It’s seamless now. You don’t need to put your hand on a device for fingerprint capture. The new technology will capture your details automatically and synchronise them with our database. At the end of the process, you get your driver’s licence instantly, no more temporary licences or waiting periods of weeks or months. The system will commence this month, offering applicants a one-stop digitalised process that delivers licences instantly.”
During a visit to the FRSC Driver’s Licence Print Farm, the Deputy Corps Marshal (Motor Vehicle Administration), Aliyu Datsama, said the Corps had intensified production to clear the backlog of pending licences.
He stated: “We work 24/7 now because of the backlog. We had 800,000 pending licences, but we’ve reduced it to 400,000. Our daily production is 40,000, and in the next few weeks, we’ll clear everything, by the grace of God.”
MEANWHILE, the Niger State Command of the FRSC also launched its 2025 Ember Months Campaign in Minna with the theme, ‘Take Responsibility for Your Safety, Stop Distracted Driving.’
The Sector Commander, Aishat Saadu, said the campaign underscores the human factor as a major cause of road crashes. She disclosed that between December 15, 2024, and January 15, 2025, 46 persons were killed, 205 injured, and 432 others involved in 47 crashes across the state.
She identified excessive speeding, overloading of persons, goods and animals, route violation, driving against traffic, and wrongful overtaking as the leading causes of crashes.
Saadu said the command had deployed personnel and special marshals across major highways, organised motor park rallies, town hall meetings, and set up mobile courts to curb violations.
She commended the Niger State Government for its continuous support and urged motorists to obey traffic rules and prioritise safety during the Ember Months.
