Lagos to issue its separate driver's licence in partnership with the Federal Government

• Lagos State plans to introduce its own driver’s licence alongside the existing federal licence system.

• The government says the new licence will reduce delays and improve road safety enforcement.

• Officials also shared updates on the Blue, Red, and proposed Green Line rail projects across Lagos.

The licence, developed in collaboration with the Federal Government, will run alongside the existing federal licence rather than replacing it. Motorists will have the option of obtaining either, a flexibility the state says is deliberate. 

According to Osiyemi, the initiative is aimed at addressing two longstanding frustrations with the current licensing process: road safety enforcement and the chronic delays that have made obtaining or renewing a driver's licence a prolonged exercise for most Lagos residents.

"It was aimed at enhancing safety, sanity, among others, on the roads," Osiyemi said, adding that the state licence would ensure prompt issuance as opposed to the delays associated with the existing process.

The announcement comes on the back of what the commissioner described as a productive review period for the state's transportation sector. 

Over 56,876 driver's licences were processed within the period, comprising 27,067 fresh applications and 29,810 renewals, all handled in collaboration with the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency and the Federal Road Safety Corps. An additional 1,158 international driver permits were also processed during the same window.

Beyond the licence announcement, Osiyemi used the briefing to provide updates on Lagos's expanding rail network. The Blue Line, which recorded 3.5 million passengers in its first phase in 2025, is on course for further expansion. 

Phase Two of the Blue Line extension, stretching from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, is expected to be completed and ready for full commercial operation in the first quarter of 2027.

On the Red Line, the state has procured 24 new train coaches, configured into three sets of eight, to strengthen operations and improve passenger movement along the corridor.

The government also disclosed that work has intensified on the proposed Green Line Rail project, a 68-kilometre corridor expected to connect Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone, passing through Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah, and Sangotedo.

Taken together, the announcements point to a state government pushing aggressively to modernise its transportation infrastructure, with the driver's licence initiative serving as the most immediately tangible change for everyday Lagosians.

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