Who Drives Best? Naija Driver 2026 Opens Free National Search for Driving Champion

Who Drives Best? Naija Driver 2026 Opens Free National Search for Driving Champion

 

A new nationwide driving competition designed to combine driver education with practical skills testing is set to begin in September, with organisers targeting safer roads and a reduction in crashes linked to human error.

‘Dubbed Naija Driver 2026’, the inaugural Nigerian Drivers Challenge is being organised by Notch Captains Limited under the Approval in Principle and Safety Frameworks of the Automobile & Touring Club of Nigeria (ATCN), the country’s sole representative of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), in collaboration with the Lagos State Drivers Institute (LASDRI).

The organisers said the initiative, which will be conducted free of charge, is aimed at creating a new culture of responsible motoring by giving licensed Nigerian drivers access to structured road-safety education, testing and practical driving assessment.

Registration and safety screening for the competition will open on September 1, 2026, through its digital learning portal. The programme is open to licensed Nigerian residents aged between 18 and 65.

According to a statement signed by Ingram Osigwe, Director of Media, Communications, Marketing and Public Relations of the organising committee, participants will undergo online training covering defensive driving, road-use regulations, crash-scene management, emergency victim stabilisation during the critical “Golden Seconds” and preventive vehicle maintenance.

The training will lead to a Unified National Computer-Based Test in October, with candidates expected to sit for the examination simultaneously across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Project Director and Managing Director of Notch Captains Limited, Adrian Egonu, said the competition would use a decentralised verification system to ensure credible identity checks while eliminating the logistical difficulties associated with moving large numbers of candidates across the country.

Under the arrangement, the three highest-scoring candidates from each state and the FCT will undergo document verification and practical screening in their respective locations in October.

The successful state and FCT champions will then converge on Lagos for the final live-action driving competition scheduled for November 7 to 10.

The final stage will test the contestants’ vehicle-handling agility, chassis control and emergency-braking precision, with the driving trials conducted before a live and televised audience.

Beyond the competition, the organisers plan to use the platform to promote emergency response awareness among motorists, particularly on what ordinary road users can safely do during the crucial first moments after a crash before professional responders arrive.

An Executive Road Safety Advocacy Gala Night will also be held ahead of the final driving trials, bringing together government representatives and senior executives of major Nigerian conglomerates to endorse a national highway safety advocacy pledge.

The initiative is also expected to deepen motorists’ understanding of vehicle insurance and risk protection through presentations by leading motor insurance institutions.

As part of its social-impact component, the organisers said official charity visits would be made to hospitals where road-crash victims are undergoing rehabilitation.

Gender inclusion is another major component of the competition, with organisers encouraging more women to enter and compete alongside their male counterparts.

The organisers have also partnered with Skinetics Med Spa on a “Glam n Drive” package, which will feature gifts and vouchers for participants throughout the tournament, subject to applicable terms and conditions.

Osigwe urged individual motorists, corporate fleet managers, transport unions and e-hailing operators to take advantage of the free training and testing opportunities when the official portal becomes operational.

He said the ultimate objective was to ensure that Naija Driver 2026 goes beyond crowning a champion to create a nationwide pool of better-trained, safety-conscious and responsible motorists.

With the competition slogan, “Drive. Compete. Lead,” the organisers said Naija Driver 2026 would seek to demonstrate that driving excellence is not merely about speed or vehicle control, but also about knowledge, discipline, emergency preparedness and respect for other road users.