Lagos State is set to introduce a state-issued driver's licence, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, announced yesterday at the 2026 annual ministerial briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja. The new licence, developed in collaboration with the Federal Government, will run alongside the existing federal licence rather than replacing it.
New Licence System to Address Delays and Safety
According to Osiyemi, the initiative aims to address two longstanding frustrations: road safety enforcement and chronic delays in obtaining or renewing a driver's licence. Motorists will have the option to choose between the state and federal licences, a flexibility the state says is deliberate.
"It was aimed at enhancing safety, sanity, among others, on the roads," Osiyemi said, adding that the state licence would ensure prompt issuance compared to the existing process.
The announcement follows a productive review period for the state's transportation sector. Over 56,876 driver's licences were processed, comprising 27,067 fresh applications and 29,810 renewals, all handled with the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency and the Federal Road Safety Corps. An additional 1,158 international driver permits were also processed.
Updates on Rail Projects
Beyond the licence, Osiyemi provided 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 expansion. Phase Two, 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. Work has also intensified on the proposed Green Line Rail project, a 68-kilometre corridor connecting Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone, passing through Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah, and Sangotedo.
These 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.
