In a significant move toward West African institutional collaboration, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) of Ghana recently hosted a high-level delegation from The Gambia’s Ministry of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure.
The visit, which concluded last Wednesday, was designed as an intensive understudy tour. The Gambian government is currently seeking to reform its vehicle registration and licensing framework by transitioning these responsibilities from the Gambia Police Force to a dedicated, autonomous authority modeled directly after Ghana’s DVLA.
Learning from a Regional Leader
The delegation’s tour focused on the technical and structural pillars that have established the DVLA as a benchmark for excellence in the sub-region. Key areas of the understudy included:
Institutional Autonomy: A deep dive into the legislative framework (Act 569) that allows the DVLA to operate as a semi-autonomous, efficient body.
Digital Transformation: The delegation reviewed Ghana’s smart-card driving licenses, the “Drive from Port” (DP) initiative, and the authority’s fully digitized vehicle registration systems.
Service Excellence: Officials visited “Prestige” and “Mobile Service” centers, which have significantly reduced wait times and improved the user experience for Ghanaian citizens.
Security Integration: The tour highlighted how the DVLA database integrates with the National Identification Authority (NIA) and national security systems to combat vehicle-related crime.
A Vision for 2026
Julius Neequaye Kotey, Chief Executive of the DVLA, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to regional knowledge-sharing while maintaining a focus on domestic innovation.
Mr. Kotey highlighted the DVLA’s 2026 reform agenda, which includes:
The rollout of new smart number plates.
The introduction of a demerit point system for traffic violations.
Strengthened cybersecurity measures to protect citizen data.
“We remain firmly on track to deliver world-class services to all road users in Ghana,” Mr. Kotey stated, expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Transport and the Ghanaian public for their support in positioning the DVLA as a model of institutional excellence in West Africa.
