Let’s talk about driving in Abuja. If you are a first-time visitor who is trying to figure out how to drive on a big road, a local trying to upskill your driving, or a newly-moved-in local setting yourself up for the long-haul, learning how to drive, and to drive well, is a key part to unlocking the full Abuja experience.
Unlike Lagos, which comes with heavy chaos, Abuja is a bit more organized in terms of its roads and at least a degree more civilized in terms of traffic. However, it is still not a cakewalk. With roundabout after roundabout popping up everywhere, you will want to feel as good as you can behind the wheel. And, if you are merely spending some time in town, getting driving lessons may also be a part of your tourist experience, especially if you are in town for a longer period, doing business, or even travelling outside of Abuja.
Top 5 Driving Schools in Abuja
1. Adonai Driving School (ADS)
2. KdJ Driving School
3. Chidon Driving School
4. Glory International Driving School
5. Link Driving School, Gudu
Driving Schools in Abuja
Below are five of the most recognized driving schools in Abuja today, with each school providing its nuances in style, but always striving to be the best driving schools in Abuja whether you are a teenager learning to drive, a returning expat needing a bit of refresher, or you just simply want to improve your road presence.
1. Adonai Driving School (ADS)
Adonai Driving School has been producing well-confident, responsible drivers in Abuja for close to 10 years. Located within the Wuye Ultra Modern Market, the school offers programs that go far beyond the surface of teaching how to steer a car. The curriculum provides classes for various learning abilities – first-time drivers, nervous adults wanting private sessions, or those wanting to prepare for long-distance road trips.
All instructors are certified by the appropriate authorities and have years of experience operating various vehicles and roads. You’ll be given the technical lessons about driving, and also build your confidence on the road. The lessons are designed so that the classroom is part of the driving lesson for practicing real-life road situations until it gets to the practicals. The whole experience is educational and more about your learning process, instead of just completing a course.
Being a decent and reasonably priced school in Abuja makes it a good option for residents. In addition to instruction for driving, ADS also assists students with a local driver’s licence, vehicle registration, and even car particulars. Depending on which driving school you attend, this comprehensive method is best suited for anybody looking to build out a new life in Abuja, or if you just want to make sure you are legal in every aspect to operate on the roads.
Location: Shop H2F 442, Turai Yar’adua Block, Wuye Ultra Modern Market, Wuye, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
2. KDJ Driving School
With more than ten years of operation, KDJ Driving School is one of the better-known names in Abuja’s driver education space. Based in Gwagwalada, KDJ opens its doors to students from all corners of the city. It promotes educational modalities of traditional classroom style and enhanced technology-friendly approaches.
While KDJ has established history on its side in the capital, the significant factor that makes this driving school a driving school with a twist is the dedication to a culture of discipline and responsibility. KdJ promotes a value-based method of driving education that seeks to develop students not only to be good motorists, but also safe motorists a responsible road users, and knowledgeable in the law. Student feedback reinforces this element of KDJ, and students routinely comment that classroom environments display a spirit of respect and decency.
KDJ offers general driving lessons, driving tests, and support for certification and learner’s permit processes. They also have one-on-one lessons, suitable for expats or tourists with some driving experience, but who may need help with some of the contrasts in road conditions that Nigeria presents to motorists.
If you enter Abuja knowing that you plan to stay in the future, attending a classroom like KDJ is one small taste of life in the capital, especially if you are living in the peripheral areas and need to commute. More than just a convenience, driving will open the experience of Abuja altogether.
Location: Opposite Demonstration School, Gwagwalada CI, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
3. Chidon Driving School
Although Chidon is one of Abuja’s newer schools (not so new though), it has already gained a reputation for professionalism and customer-first service and is making waves. With just over five years in the industry, the emphasis is on a modern approach, investing in appropriate infrastructure, vehicles, and thoroughly trained instructors. Chidon is being praised for its quality service, an organized and clean training environment. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)-approved school meets every standard, allowing students to rest assured that they’re receiving appropriate training. The instructors are patient and accommodating, which many reviews mentioned being very accommodating to all, especially first timers.
Although Chidon teaches basic and intermediate drivers, it also offers refresher courses. This is especially beneficial for new arrivals who already have a driver’s license but require a refresher on navigational aspects of driving in Abuja.
And, here’s where the tourism aspect plays in: if you’re moving to Abuja for work, or have plans to migrate to the city long enough for you to drive yourself, you’ll want to feel as relaxed exploring the roads as many of the locals do. Chidon can get you there, safe and sound.
Location: Maputo St, Council, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory
4. Glory International Driving School
Boasting over 20 years of operation, Glory International Driving School is one of the oldest driving schools continuously operating in the capital. With several branches strategically located throughout the key areas of the city, the school is known not just for teaching driving, but for offering a broad menu of services related to automotive education.
In addition to teaching drivers, Glory International also provides vehicle maintenance, paperwork renewal, and is even a certified installer for car tracking devices. In short, this is not an average driving school, it’s almost a one-stop shop for all things related to roads, vehicles, and driving. They cater to both the private sector and corporate organizations, offering driver testing, education for executive-level drivers, and instruction for drivers preparing to travel the expressways.
The timeline of trainings – from 1 to 8 weeks – gives you lots of options and flexibility. If you have made the leap to travel not just to Nigeria but as a visitor staying for a couple of months, or even if you are a local preparing for interstate travel, they have something that can help you.
What impressed us about Glory International was their commitment to the post-school aspect of their students’ mobility education. Glory aims to offer you sustainable confidence on the road, supported by proper mechanical knowledge and awareness of your vehicle maintenance. That is particularly handy if you are planning to take a road trip around Nigeria or you want to explore the areas around Abuja without a controlled tourist schedule.
Location: Plot 217, Upper Room Assembly Shetimma Munguno Munguno Crescent, Utako.
No 1, Trade More Estate, VON Lugbe FCT Federal Housing Authority, Aco Estate Airport Road FCT, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
5. Link Driving School, Gudu
Located within the bustling OTO Shopping Mall, Link Driving School caters to a mixed crowd of young learners, working professionals, and tourists who are seeking independence in their mobility. With a smaller footprint than the others on this list, they are small, but they still produce top-quality services that lead to super-satisfied students.
The school focuses on teaching people in the classroom and one-on-one scenarios, offering individual lessons for teenagers, adults, and those who have only limited experience with private driving. The talk with the instructors tends towards practical lessons that help to identify the realistic difficulties that drivers are expected to face within Abuja, like the notoriously difficult surrounding Gudu Market, or turns inside higher volume hard stops.
If you’re visiting, renting, or buying a vehicle, you may increase your confidence on the road in a rather short time by engaging in a short-term intensive course with Link Driving School.
And if you’re a tourist planning to set out on forays like the Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Jabi Lake, or the rocky intrigue of Usuma Dam, you would have thrown open a multitude of options for spontaneous, unmediated explorations with a valid Nigerian driver’s license.
Location: OTO Shopping Mall, Shop B324, 3rd Floor, Opposite Gudu Second Gate MUNICIPAL, Gudu, Abuja.
Conclusion
We’ve come full circle. You might be asking why someone traveling here, visiting briefly, or just moving here should even consider driving schools. The truth is, Abuja is a city meant to be best appreciated with some mobility. Public transport exists, yes, but it does not get to everywhere. There are ride-hailing apps like Bolt or Uber, but those costs can add up from day to day at some point. If you have more than a few weeks here, chances are you might want to consider getting behind the wheel, especially if you are going out to the outskirts, such as Bwari to see the leek ranch, Jabi Lake for leisure, or weekend drives out to Zuma Rock or Gurara Falls.
Having a local driving license, also helps with car rentals, certain jobs, and just simply getting on with the day-to-day life of a local. A reputable driving school, as mentioned earlier, not only teaches someone the law related to driving, but also helps you adjust to living in the city in a better and safer way with confidence.
So, if you’re into your new life in the Federal Capital Territory, or perhaps you’re only here long enough to drive around like a local, it might be time to consider booking that lesson, these schools truly open up the city for you to experience.
