Nigerian driver’s licences are issued under the national licensing system run by the FRSC, the Federal Road Safety Corps, with the states’ licensing authorities. You apply and pay online, then attend in person for a test and your biometrics.
The minimum age is 18.
If you hold a foreign licence
You may drive in Nigeria on a foreign licence, ideally with an International Driving Permit, for 3 months. If you are living here longer than that, get a Nigerian licence. Police and FRSC officers at checkpoints know the rule and will ask.
Do not count on exchanging a foreign licence directly for a Nigerian one, as some countries allow; ask the FRSC what applies to your country before you plan on it. Otherwise expect to go through the process below, which an experienced driver will find quick.
The process
- Get a learner’s permit. It lets you drive with a licensed driver beside you while you learn.
- Complete training at an accredited driving school. The school issues a certificate, which the application asks for. A school that offers the certificate without the lessons is selling you a document, not a skill.
- Apply online for the licence, and pay.
- Attend the licensing centre for an eye test, a driving test and the capture of your photograph and fingerprints.
- Collect the licence when it is printed. A temporary slip covers you in the meantime; carry it.
How long it lasts, and what it costs
| Licence | Valid for |
|---|---|
| Standard | 3 years |
| Longer | 5 years, for ₦21,000 |
Pay through the official portal only. Touts outside licensing offices offer to “process” licences for a fee and some of what they sell is forged; a forged licence is a criminal matter, not a shortcut.
Renewing
Renewal is done online before the licence expires, with a fresh capture if the system asks for one. Driving on an expired licence is an offence, and an expired licence is also what an insurer will notice after a crash.
Your vehicle’s papers
Separately from your licence, a vehicle on a Lagos road needs:
- Vehicle registration, with its plate number
- Insurance - at least third-party, which is compulsory
- A certificate of roadworthiness, valid 12 months, from the Lagos State Vehicle Inspection Service
Keep the originals in the car. Checkpoints ask for them.
At a checkpoint
You will be stopped, by the police, the FRSC, or Lagos’s own traffic management officers. Be polite, keep your hands visible, and show your licence and the vehicle’s papers when asked. You are entitled to know which agency has stopped you and what offence is alleged. A genuine fine is paid through an official channel and comes with a receipt or a ticket, not in cash at the roadside.