What should have been a routine drivers licence renewal has turned into a two-year ordeal for Bayo (not his real name), a Bolt driver in Lagos. His case highlights the entrenched inefficiencies and bureaucratic lapses within Nigeria’s road safety administration system.

On a mild November morning in 2023, Bayo walked into the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) office at the Iponri Zone in Surulere, expecting a quick process. He carried with him expired licence documents and anticipated completing his renewal within the hour.

Instead, he became ensnared in a web of cash transactions, repeated delays, and inconsistent communication, a situation that remains unresolved nearly two years later.

“The man who attended to me told me to pay N30,000 for 5-years, and when I asked if I could make a transfer, he said no. So I went outside, withdrew the money, and paid him in cash. He then filled out the form, gave me a copy, and asked me to come back the following week for capturing,” Bayo recalled.

That was the beginning of a cycle. When Bayo returned, he was told the system was down. What began as a week-long wait has spiralled into over 18 months without a valid or even temporary licence.

Instead of a valid licence, Bayo was given a stamped document  unofficial and unrecognised, with eight separate date extensions. The ICIR sighted the document.

“Since then, I’ve been going there repeatedly. Eventually, the first man who attended to me was no longer there, and a different colleague of his who has asked me to apply for another reissue which would warrant me to pay another N25,000. Till date, they haven’t called me for capturing,” he said.

The delay has left him without a temporary or valid license, a risky situation for any driver in Lagos, where police and road safety officers frequently demand up-to-date papers.

A pattern of delay and frustration

Bayo’s experience is echoed across the country and reflects a broader issue with the FRSC’s licence renewal process, which several Nigerians have described as inefficient, inconsistent, and vulnerable to informal practices, including cash-only transactions.

In Abia, IK Carasko, said he paid N40,000 in October 2024 but had been repeatedly asked to keep coming back.

“I paid N40,000 since October 24, 2024. I’ve not been issued the licence till today. I’ve been calling and texting. It’s been one story to another. I can’t be coming to their office from Ikwuano every week,” he said.

Similarly, In Abuja, John Dennis, said he paid N48,000 in December 2024 but has yet to receive his valid licence.

Haruna (not his real name), who visited the FRSC/VIO joint office at Police Signboard, Lugbe in March 2025, was initially issued a temporary licence but has been unable to collect a permanent one.

“I received my temporary drivers licence that same day, but what concerns me is the inconsistency in the renewal cost. The notice on the wall says that a 3-year licence costs N13,500, yet I ended up paying a total of N16,000.”

Haruna said that when he offered to make a bank transfer, the official instead called a Point of Sale (POS) agent to provide him with cash for the payment.

Haruna, who was instructed to return in three months, said that despite paying that amount, officials still demanded additional money for capturing and other processes. However, he told them he had no more money on him, which he believes was what saved him from paying more.

Haruna observed that many people at the office were complaining that their temporary licences had expired weeks earlier, yet they had not been issued valid ones.  The driver lamented that, despite using the temporary licence, officials still harass him on the road.

“The most recent incident was around Jabi. They stopped me and complained that the writing on my document was faint. I told them it was their office that issued it, so if there’s any issue, they should contact their office for clarification,” he said.

He added that the licence he was initially given expired last week, but when he went to collect the valid one a few days ago, he was informed that it was not yet ready for pickup.

Innocent (not his real name) also recounted how individuals outside the gate of the Wuse branch offered to help him process the licence for N15,000. He declined their offers and instead paid N13,000 in cash inside the office.

Cash payments 

Despite the FRSC’s official stance that all payments must be made via the government’s Remita platform and that licence renewals should take no more than 60 days, multiple applicants have reported being asked to pay cash, often without receipts.

A December 2024 broadcast by Naija Info revealed ongoing cash-for-service practices, and a 2021 audit by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms highlighted systemic inefficiencies across FRSC centres.  Also an ICIR investigation revealed similar issues, including unaccounted budget disbursement.

While a June 2024 A publication from the FRSC claimed its NDL Print Farm produced 73,740 licences in two weeks as part of a strategic backlog-clearing initiative, drivers like Bayo, who began the renewal process in 2023 remain in limbo.

In 2023, the FRSC received a budget of N52.7 billion. This was increased to N70.7 billion in 2024 and again to N98.7 billion in 2025. While these funds are intended to improve road safety infrastructure and service delivery, the persistent delays and inefficiencies tell a different story.

For businessman Shehu Garba, the issue has affected his ability to open a business account. According to Garba, he tried to open an account for a new company he and others had set up, with the hope of receiving some investments. However, the bank rejected his international passport and national identity card as they bear his third name Abubakar, which he does not use for his banking transactions and is therefore not linked to his BVN.

“I gave them my driver’s licence, which has the two names on my BVN but the problem is that it was a temporary one issued to me over two months ago and had expired. But road safety has refused to issue me a permanent one for several months. I explained to the bank but they said no and refused to open the account. So, we have not been able to open the account and cannot receive the money from the investor we hope to start operations with. Now, we are trying another bank,” Garba lamented.

FRSC response

When contacted by The ICIR, FRSC Public Relations Officer Segun Ogungbemide acknowledged that the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, met a backlog of unprinted licences and number plates, upon assuming office in May 2024.

“The Corps Marshal while briefing the media told the public that there were actually both technical and administrative challenges. He hit the ground running by fixing all the necessary gaps including technical issues and administrative bottlenecks,” he said.

He stated the official licence rates as “N10,350 for three years, and 15,450 for five years.” He noted that a new price list has been announced and will take effect in June 2025.

The ICIR spoke with personnel at the FRSC office in Lugbe, Abuja, on May 22, who stated that a three-year drivers licence costs N13,000, while the five-year option costs N18,000. This contradicts the official rates stated by the PRO.

When The ICIR asked why many applicants report being asked to pay cash without receipts or a higher fee Ogungbamide said, “Anything outside what l told you is not part of our process. I already told you the official rate. Meanwhile FRSC does not deal with Members of the public directly but the States, through their Motor Vehicle Administration Dept”.

He did not provide details on how the FRSC investigates or disciplines officials involved in unofficial transactions. Although he said, “The Corps has zero tolerance to any form of infractions and sanctions are rendered accordingly”.

Ogungbemide claimed that the agency is taking all necessary steps to address the situation, noting that 257,038 driver’s licences were still lying unclaimed at various centres, despite applicants being duly informed.

“The Corps is working assiduously to clear the backlog in due time. In order to support this, a new print firm with capacity to print 1,700 licences per hour has been commissioned in Lagos,” he said. 

Not satisfied with Ogungbamide’s response, The ICIR reached out to the FRSC Corps Marshal, Mohammed Shehu, through a WhatsApp message requesting that he answers questions regarding delays in issuing drivers licences. He did not respond to the message as at press time. 

However, a senior FRSC official, who requested anonymity, confirmed to The ICIR that there is indeed a system failure which is why the renewal and capturing process had not been effective.

Another senior official of the commission, said that the Shehu’s predecessor, Dauda Biu, in March 2024, shortly before he was replaced told the management staff of the commission that the delay in the issuance of licences was being dealt with and would be over within a matter of weeks.

The official who does not want to be named said that the situation continued under Shehu, who was advised to suspend the enforcement of drivers licence for drivers but he refused.

“Because of the embarrassment this was causing the commission, the Corps Marshall was advised that the enforcement of drivers licences should be suspended for six months while we tried to fixed the problem. The thinking is that we cannot be asking drivers for their drivers licence when we have not been issuing them. some cases are two years old. But the Corps Marshall refused”, the source said.

The PRO did not respond to why officials opt for cash payments instead of the bank payment stipulated on the agency website, what measure is FRSC taking to ensure transparency and efficiency in the licence production process, to confirm if there is a system failure that is why applicants are yet to get valid license since 2023, and other questions as at the time of filing this report.

Back in Lagos, Bayo is still waiting.

“They claim it’s fast and digital, but you still have to pay cash to someone who disappears the next time you return,” Bayo the Bolt driver said.

Despite repeated attempts, he said no official had offered a clear solution or even an apology. “They keep telling me that it was network issues and to pay another money for reissue.”

The driver said he hasn’t secured a stable job since 2023 because organisations consistently demand his original drivers licence.

“I stayed at home until someone recently gave me a car to use for bolt. I had to reactivate my old bolt account, which already had my previous drivers licence on file otherwise, I’d still be out of work,” he said.

Bayo appeals to the FRSC to kindly upload his details for capturing and expedite the processing of his valid licence so he can secure a stable job.

“The date on the most recent extension will expire on May 30. If the government and FRSC could find a way to address this and spare me the stress of paying again, it would be greatly appreciated,” he appealed.

Lawmakers swing to action

In a move that underscores growing national concern, the House of Representatives has resolved to establish an ad hoc committee to investigate the operational challenges surrounding the issuance of drivers licences, as well as the generation and utilisation of related revenues over the past three years.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion presented by Victor Ogene (APC–Bayelsa) during Wednesday’s plenary session.

In his motion, Ogene highlighted the complex tripartite structure involving the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), State Boards of Internal Revenue, and the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), which is responsible for the digital issuance and renewal of drivers licences.

He also noted that FRSC owes its system consultants who are the network providers and maintainers of the biometrics data capturing system and are responsible for the system slowdown and the resultant long delay in the issuance of drivers licences.

In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, said that once the committee is constituted, it will be expected to submit its findings within four weeks to enable further legislative action.

Nanji Nandang VENLEY

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Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.