Digitized tinted glass permit: A police exploitation of motorists?

The recent re-introduction of the Digitized Tinted Glass Permit by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has sparked public outrage, and rightly so. Far from being a necessity, the permit appears to be nothing more than another channel to exploit Nigerian vehicle owners. The idea that motorists must seek official approval to use factory-fitted tinted glasses, […]

The recent re-introduction of the Digitized Tinted Glass Permit by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has sparked public outrage, and rightly so. Far from being a necessity, the permit appears to be nothing more than another channel to exploit Nigerian vehicle owners. The idea that motorists must seek official approval to use factory-fitted tinted glasses, often standard on imported vehicles, is baffling. Even more disturbing is the requirement that this permit be renewed yearly. The Nigeria Police Force is not a revenue-generating agency, so why create an annual renewal system that serves no clear security purpose other than to extract more money from citizens?

The process itself has been a nightmare for applicants. Many Nigerians cannot complete their biometric enrolment due to persistent glitches on the Police Specialised Services Automation Project (POSSAP) platform. In states with relatively stable internet networks, there is usually only one processing centre located in the state capital. This forces applicants from rural and semi-urban areas to travel long distances, sometimes for hours, just to get their biometrics done. Even after enduring the stress and cost of travel, many still cannot download their tinted glass certificates because the system simply fails to deliver them.

Meanwhile, police officers on highways and city roads continue to harass motorists, demanding to see this elusive permit. Some have turned the situation into an opportunity to extort money from drivers, even though the NPF has officially extended the enforcement deadline to October 2025. This contradiction between official statements and on-the-road realities further erodes public trust in the Force.

If the police are truly serious about regulating tinted glass usage, they must make the process seamless and accessible. A permit application centre should be established in every divisional police headquarters across the country, not just in state capitals. More importantly, the permit should be a one-time issuance, not an annual cash cow.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must urgently intervene in this matter. The current system is wasteful, inefficient, and open to abuse. The Nigeria Police Force should focus on its primary duty of protecting lives and property instead of creating bureaucratic bottlenecks that burden the already suffering Nigerian public.

The new Tinted Glass Permit is fast becoming another tool for exploitation. It is unnecessary, poorly managed, and appears designed to fleece motorists. Worse still, the idea of renewing it every year seems to be nothing but an unjustifiable cash grab—especially from a security agency that is not meant to be a revenue collector.

The so-called application process is a mess. The POSSAP platform constantly fails, biometric capture is available only in state capitals, and even after enduring long trips and hours of waiting, many applicants still cannot download their permits. Yet, police officers on the road continue to harass drivers and extort money—despite an official extension of the enforcement date to October 2025.

If the police are sincere, they should make the process seamless, open application points in every divisional police station, and issue the permit once, not yearly. President Tinubu must call the IGP to order. Nigerians are tired of paying for incompetence disguised as policy.

Tochukwu Obi wrote via [email protected]