US, Europe Okay Nigerian Driver’s Licence

The upgraded Nigerian driver’s licence is recognised in the United States and Europe, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said yesterday.
The Lagos Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr Chidi Nkwonta, told newsmen in Lagos that three states in the US and seven countries in Europe accepted the licence.
According to him, the licence is recognised in Maryland, Washington DC and California in the US as well as Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Austria and Sweden in Europe.
“Maryland accepts Nigerian driver’s licence provided it verifies that it is genuine; Washington accepts Nigerian driver’s licence, and California too.
“We have seven countries already in Europe that accept our driver’s licence, and we are working on other countries in Europe,” Nkwonta said.
The commander added that the FRSC was working hard to make sure that the Nigerian driver’s licence was accepted in all states in the US.
He said that the data base and identity of the holder of the licence could be accessed in those countries, and that genuineness of the licence could be ascertained.
Nkwonta said that the licence contained a lot of security features that would make it difficult to produce fake copies.
“These countries know the processes of obtaining a driver’s licence in Nigeria and the security features the licence contains; once they confirm its genuineness, they accept it,” he said.
He, however, told newsmen that the holder would only be allowed to use the licence for a period of time in those countries.
The sector commander said that, after the period, the authorities of the countries would issue their own driver’s licence.
He urged applicants to be determined to obtain the genuine driver’s licence.

L-R: Mrs. Bariyaah Abe and her husband, Senator Magnus Abe in a chat with Rivers Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon Levi Gogo Charles, during a thanksgiving service in honour of Abe in Bera, Gokana LGA of Rivers State, recently.