The Lagos State Drivers' Institute (LASDRI) trained 45,386 drivers between May 2025 and May 2026. This was disclosed by the state commissioner for transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during the 2026 Lagos State Ministerial Press Briefing on Monday. The briefing marked the third year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's second term in office.
Osiyemi said LASDRI has become a leading training centre for drivers in Lagos. The training was delivered through three channels. The first is mandatory annual training for professional drivers, which covered 43,758 individuals during the period. The second is a customised programme for organisations, under which 103 drivers were trained.
The third channel is a rehabilitation programme for drivers caught violating traffic laws by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and Vehicle Inspection Service. Only one such session was held from May 2025 to date. On August 14, 2025, LASDRI conducted a train-the-trainer workshop for driving school operators and instructors.
In partnership with Nigerian insurers, the institute trained 150 drivers and dispatch riders. It also trained 116 electric mobility drivers with E-mobility Africa, a firm supporting electric vehicle adoption across the continent. Safety advocacy campaigns were carried out in various motor parks to promote safe driving practices.
LASDRI collaborated with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority to train drivers of high-capacity buses. Osiyemi revealed that the state plans to introduce artificial intelligence simulation for driver training later in 2026.
Osiyemi highlights that only one rehabilitation session was held for traffic offenders despite thousands being apprehended, raising questions about enforcement follow-through. The heavy focus on mandatory training for 43,758 professional drivers contrasts with just 103 trained under custom programmes for organisations. This suggests priority is placed on mass compliance over targeted institutional partnerships. The planned AI simulation in 2026 may address gaps, but its impact depends on equitable access across all driver categories.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
