Overcrowded Waiting Rooms During Suspension of Driving Tests
Lines of driver candidates stretch outside licensed schools in Brazzaville as the suspension of driving tests enters a new month. For many, the plastic chair in a cramped waiting room has become a daily workstation, a symbol of determination in the face of gradual government reforms.
The General Directorate of Land Transport has not scheduled any theoretical or practical exams nationwide since the special session of October 10, 2024, reserved for categories A and B. Officials had then promised a modernized, paperless system, but the ensuing silence is raising questions.
In interviews, frustrated candidates say they refresh their social media every hour, hoping for an official update that never comes. “I passed the mock exam last November, I’m ready to work as a delivery driver, but I can’t move forward,” explains a 24-year-old graduate.
Digital Transition Promised by the DGTT
The DGTT states this pause is necessary to implement a safer, more transparent system that will limit fraud and align the Congolese license with regional digital standards. Technicians are reportedly currently configuring servers and tablets intended for real-time assessment in exam vehicles.
Driving school owners, while supportive of the digital transition, fear this prolonged period of inactivity is eroding public confidence. “Our instructors continue to train students on simulators, but motivation drops each week without an exam schedule,” notes the manager of a popular academy in Pointe-Noire.
Sector observers recall that the October 2024 session had already trialed scannable QR codes on answer sheets, a practice praised by anti-fraud activists. According to those present, no complaints regarding the integrity of the grading emerged that day, strengthening the argument for full digitization.
Youth Employment and Pressures on the Informal Sector
The human cost of the delay extends beyond the classrooms. Ride-hailing startups in Brazzaville report driver shortages as uncertified candidates cannot legally join their platforms. Logistics companies developing the Pointe-Noire-Ouesso corridor are also hesitant to hire without licenses, slowing delivery times in a region dependent on road transport.
Economic analysts warn that the suspension risks fostering an informal market. Unofficial “drivers” with foreign licenses sometimes fill the gap, a practice that complicates insurance coverage and tax registration. Government advisers insist that the resumption of formal exams will bring the sector back into the regulated fold.
Young professionals are at the heart of this situation. National employment data shows that transport services, including delivery, have absorbed thousands of graduates over the last decade. Recruiters typically require a Category B license as a first filter; without it, CVs stagnate before even being reviewed.
Parents are therefore subsidizing additional driving lessons to maintain skills, generating extra expenses in a period marked by global inflation. Some families alternate using family vehicles on weekends so candidates can practice maneuvers, but fuel costs are making this effort increasingly burdensome for modest incomes.
Plan for a Modern License System
At the DGTT headquarters,