Driver’s Licence: How Abuja VIO, Driving Schools Compromise Standard

In a shocking investigative report, a Daily Trust Saturday reporter has uncovered a concerning nexus between law enforcement agencies, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)-accredited driving schools, and government officials within Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT). These entities are allegedly working together to undermine the country’s driving standards, thereby contributing to the growing number of road accidents.

Disguised with a hidden recording device, the undercover reporter traversed the streets of Abuja to scrutinize the three-pronged process for obtaining a driver’s license in Nigeria and how it allows underage and unqualified individuals to get behind the wheel.

At the first driving school visited, the reporter, who had no prior driving experience, inquired if they could issue a driving certificate – a prerequisite for obtaining a driver’s license. Shockingly, a staff member at the driving school, accredited by the FRSC, readily offered to subvert the process, stating, “Don’t worry, we can issue you the certificate. Since you came through us, there is no problem,” despite the reporter’s lack of driving skills.

This willingness to bypass the process extended even to staff members of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), commonly known as Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), who are responsible for driver training and testing before issuing licenses. One VIO staff member explicitly stated, “No need to attend any driving school,” and offered a seamless route to obtain a license, thus allowing unqualified individuals to join the ranks of undocumented and unskilled drivers in the country.

Alarming statistics from the World Health Organization revealed that over 1.3 million people globally die annually in road traffic accidents, with Africa recording the highest fatality rates. Nigeria, unfortunately, tops the list of African countries with the most traffic accidents leading to fatalities.

During the 7th United Nations Global Road Safety Week in May, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dauda Biu, stated that over 40,000 people lose their lives each year in road accidents, making road traffic crashes the leading cause of death and disability in Nigeria. Even more troubling, data from the FRSC Statistics-Digest showed that in 2022 alone, over 11,361 individuals lost their lives, and 65,814 were injured due to road accidents in the country.

The FRSC identifies human factors as the primary cause of these accidents, with recklessness, carelessness, and a disregard for other road users accounting for 90% of the incidents.

In Nigeria, the driver’s license, produced by the FRSC, is the sole recognized document authorizing an individual to operate a vehicle on the country’s roads. Obtaining this license involves a tripartite arrangement between the Board of Internal Revenue, FRSC, and DRTS within the FCT.

However, the Daily Trust Saturday investigation reveals that corrupt government officials collaborate with FRSC-accredited driving schools to inflate license fees and undermine the process by providing licenses to unqualified individuals in the FCT, further contributing to road accidents.

The standard process of obtaining a driver’s license entails visiting an FRSC-approved driving school, completing 26 training sessions, obtaining a certificate, then proceeding to the Board of Internal Revenue, and finally, undergoing a driving skills test administered by the VIO before the FRSC issues the license.

Honey Ogundayo, the head of the FRSC National Traffic Radio, emphasized that no certified FRSC driving school should issue a driving certificate to an applicant who has not completed the proper training and testing. She stressed that this practice tarnishes the reputation of the FRSC, and the Corps Marshal disapproves of such actions.

The investigation further revealed that the malpractice extends to the FRSC-accredited driving schools, where some schools were willing to bypass the training process and offer certificates to unqualified individuals. The reporter encountered staff at these schools who were willing to facilitate the license issuance without adherence to the required standards.

Shockingly, even the VIO officials were found to be compromising the standard. An official known as “Oga Aaron” at the Nyanya unit in Abuja claimed that he could entirely bypass the driving school, driving tests, and computer-based testing (CBT) to secure a driver’s license for a fee.

Upon sharing these findings with the DRTS in Abuja, the public relations officer, Kalu Emetu, pledged to investigate the matter and sanction anyone found involved in such activities. However, he clarified that their authority to hire and fire was limited, and such cases would be reported to the FCT Administration for further action.