The House of Representatives has launched a comprehensive investigation into the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) over alleged financial irregularities and procedural violations in the issuance and revenue management of driver's licenses in Nigeria.

The probe, which will examine operations spanning the last three years, follows a motion sponsored by Hon. Afam Victor Ogene (LP, Anambra) during Wednesday's plenary session.

Ogene raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the revenue generated through the tripartite arrangement involving the FRSC, State Boards of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) – the three agencies responsible for driver's license administration in the country.

According to the lawmaker, standard procedure requires applicants to first obtain a learner's permit from the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) in their respective states before qualifying for a full license. However, he alleged that FRSC's VIP Centers, originally designated exclusively for renewals, are issuing new licenses without evidence of prior learner's permits.

"There are allegations that the FRSC is controlling receiving accounts for various revenue lines including those from driving school certifications and driving history applications used for foreign travel processing," Ogene stated.

The Labour Party representative further alleged that the FRSC's Information Processing Centre (IPC) is being used to "warehouse and manipulate driver's licence data," effectively shortchanging state revenue offices and the VIO.

Of particular concern is the handling of license-related funds, which reportedly amount to hundreds of billions of naira annually but remain largely unaccounted for by both the VIO and State Boards of Internal Revenue.

The motion also highlighted the Joint Tax Board's (JTB) revised rates announced in November 2024 – N21,000 and N15,000 for five-year and three-year motor vehicle licenses respectively, and N11,000 and N7,000 for motorcycles or tricycles – raising questions about the revenue sharing formula and accountability mechanisms.

Another critical issue raised was the significant delays in license issuance, with applicants reportedly waiting two to three years after biometric capturing to receive their documents. Ogene attributed these delays to unpaid debts allegedly owed by the FRSC to Galaxy Backbone Ltd. and other technical consultants managing the biometrics and data systems.

The House unanimously resolved to investigate the operational framework, revenue flows, and usage of funds related to driver's license issuance over the last three years, with the probe expected to be concluded within four weeks.

This investigation comes amid growing public frustration over the bureaucratic hurdles and delays associated with obtaining driver's licenses in Nigeria, an essential document for both domestic and international identification purposes.