Transportation Secretariat is created by the Minister of the Federal capital territory pursuant to the Federal Capital Territory (establishment of Functionaries and Departments) and Ministry of the Federal Capital territory (Dissolution) Order No 1 of 2004 to develop transportation infrastructure, formulate transport, traffic and Road Safety Management policies in the FCT in accordance with the FCT Transportation master plan.
The FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Service was established pursuant to 1980 International Treaty on the Harmonization of Highway legislations in the ECOWAS Sub-region signed by the Authority of Heads of States and Government that approved setting up of appropriate machinery in member Nations that will be responsible for Motor Vehicle Administration. This is expected to among other things be saddled with Registration of Vehicles, Issuance of Drivers’ License, Organizing of Technical Inspection of Vehicles, Road Transport Monitoring and Control and compilation of statistics on movement of goods and passengers by roads.
In the same vein, National Road Traffic Regulations, 1997 recommended creation in each States of the Federation, a Directorate of Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). On 28th October 1998, Joint conference of National Council on Works and Housing noted the importance of road traffic management and control in socio-economic development of any Nation and urged all States in Nigeria to urgently establish an MVA Agency for traffic management and increased revenue generation.
After the creation of the FCT in 1975, the Federal Capital Development Authority created the FCT Road Traffic Services Division under the Engineering Department in 1981 with the mandate of conducting all motor vehicle related transactions and to enforce road traffic laws and regulations in the territory while collecting accruable revenue from such activities into the confers of the FCT Administration.
For effectiveness of operations and to meet with the challenges of increasing vehicular traffic in the FCT, the Federal Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, in line with the ECOWAS Treaty of 1980 upgraded the Road Traffic Division to a full fledge Agency via Federal Government Circular No.VP/912/ VOL I dated 19th April, 1993 and official Gazette No 20 VOL 84 of 7th April, 1997.
Creation of Mandate Secretariat in 2005 corroborated the Agency status of the Directorate of Road Traffic Service under the Transportation Secretariat to perform Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) functions for the FCT via Federal Capital Territory Road Transport Regulations as established in the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 115 of 30th December 2005 Vol. 92. pursuant to Section 11 (1) & 46 (1) Road Traffic Act Cap. 548 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja laws) 1990 and section 4 of Federal Capital Territory Act Cap. F6 Laws of the Federation, 2004.
Continuous increasing need for mobility in the FCT (Abuja) has brought about an upsurge in the unregulated entry of individuals, groups and corporate entities into the business of land transportation in the FCT. The attendant negative effects of insecurity, increasing number of crashes, disorderliness and growing traffic congestions in the Territory has called for effective regulation.
Pursuant to Road Transport Monitoring and Control Mandate of the DRTS, FCT Public Transportation Management Scheme targets harnessing innovative technology and digital solution in regulating and managing public transportation to achieve efficiency, professionalism and sanity in the industry.
Establishing and enforcing minimum acceptable standards for General Management of transport operations, Vehicles Management, Drivers Management, Quality Assurance, Quantity of Service, Geographic Distribution of Services, Payment Method for services, incentives and penalties to achieve the followings: