Notch Captains Ltd., under the framework of the Automobile and Touring Club of Nigeria (ATCN), has launched the Naija Driver 2026 challenge to promote safer driving and improve road safety awareness across Nigeria.
The initiative, organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Drivers Institute, will provide free driver education, safety screening and testing for licensed Nigerian residents aged 18 to 65. Registration and safety screening are scheduled to begin on September 1 through the programme’s digital learning portal.
Participants will receive training materials covering defensive driving, road-use regulations, crash-site management, emergency victim stabilisation during the critical “Golden Seconds” and preventive vehicle maintenance. The online programme will culminate in a national computer-based test in October, with participants expected to take the examination across the 36 states and the FCT.
According to the organisers, the three highest-scoring participants from each state and the FCT will undergo document verification and practical screening in their respective locations. State champions will then proceed to Lagos for final live-action driving tests from November 7 to 10, focusing on vehicle-handling agility, chassis control and emergency braking.
Project Director Adrian Egonu said the competition would use a decentralised verification system to strengthen identity checks and ease logistics. The organisers also pledged to promote female participation and encourage corporate fleet operators, transport unions and e-hailing companies to take advantage of the free training and testing resources.
The initiative will also feature a road safety advocacy gala aimed at bringing together government representatives and business leaders to endorse a national highway safety advocacy pledge.
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