For over 60 years since the establishment of the Central Motor Registry by the Nigeria Police Force, the mandatory registration of vehicle information was done manually, and therefore fraught with some challenges.  

To address the rising sophistication of vehicular crime in the country, the Nigeria Police Force in April 2023, introduced the digitalized Central Motor Registry Information System  (e-CMR) for the seamless management of every motor vehicle and its ownership.  

With the establishment of the e-CMR, motor vehicle owners are now able to provide information about their vehicles, their ownership and other necessary details that will aid digital age policing remotely by using an internet-enabled device.  

Many vehicle owners in Nigeria do not know what steps to follow to apply for their CMR Motor Vehicle Information Certificates using the e-CMR portal.  

In this article, Nairametrics will outline the steps that Nigerian vehicle owners can follow to register for the e-CMR.  

In addition, the advantages and benefits for Nigerians enrolling their vehicles in the e-CMR portal will be discussed as well.  

Steps to apply for the CMR Motor Vehicle Information Certificate using the e-CMR portal  

First and foremost, enrollment of vehicles in the e-CMR portal can only be possible by using an internet-enabled device, such as a personal computer smartphone.  

Individuals and corporate bodies should adhere to the following 12 steps to apply for the CMR Motor Vehicle Information Certificate  

Step 1:  

• Visit the official website at https://cmris.npf.gov.ng  

Step 2:  

• Click on Get Started  

Step 3: Create Profile (if Profile has been created earlier, go to step 8) 

• (a) Profile type – Personal or Organisation  
• (b) Identification – NIN for Personal, TIN for Organisation  
• (c) Enter your identification number  
• (d) Click Verify  

Step 4:  

• If identity is verified, click Continue  

Step 5: Confirm email and phone number  

• If Email is no longer valid, select No and enter a valid email  
• If the Phone Number is not current, select No and enter a current phone number  
• Click Confirm to receive a token through the current phone number and valid email address  

Step 6:  

• Enter the token and click Confirm Token, if confirmed, click Continue to proceed  

Step 7: Personal Information Page (Review uploaded NIN/TIN information)  

• Select the Current State of Residence and Current LGA of Residence  
• Confirm if your NIN/TIN address is the same as your current address. If No, enter your Current Residential Address  
• If you selected a wrong response, click on Change Selection to select the right response  
• Create and confirm your password  
• Click Next to proceed  

Step 8: Apply for CMR Motor Vehicle Information Certificate  

• Log in using the following access credentials created during the Profile creation process; Username (Email or Phone Number), and Password (created in the fourth bullet point of Step 7) 
• Click Login  

Step 9: Choose CMR Request  

• (a) CMR Request – Select a Request  
• (b) CMR Sub-Request – Select Sub-Request  
• (c) Select Number of Requests: (i) Single – for one motor vehicle (ii) Fleet – for more than one motor vehicle in application  

Step 10: Vehicle Details  

• Select Vehicle Category and Plate Number Type  
• Enter Vehicle Details – (i) State Licensing Officer (where the vehicle was registered/licensed)            (ii) State Requesting Form (where the applicant is requesting CMR service)  

Step 11: Request Confirmation (carefully review information for accuracy and genuineness in this stage) 

• Click Proceed to view the invoice and make payment  

Step 12: User Profile Features  

• (a) Requests – View Request(s), Sold Vehicles, Print Certificate, etc.  
• (b) Profile – Update/Edit Password, Email, Phone  
• (c) Logout – Exit Portal  

Advantages and benefits of enrolling your vehicle with the e-CMR  

According to the Nigeria Police Force, there are several advantages and benefits for citizens enrolling their vehicles in the e-CMR.  

One of those advantages is that a digitalized CMR enhances the security of vehicles in the sense that the Police can make use of accurate and real-time vehicle information provided during registration to prevent and swiftly resolve vehicular crimes.  

Secondly, the e-CMR equips the Police better to enforce laws related to motor vehicles, such as registration and licensing.  

Furthermore, the comprehensive database of the e-CMR portal will serve as a deterrent to potential criminals who might use vehicles for illegal activities. The knowledge that the Police have access to accurate information can discourage criminal behaviour. 

The digitalized CMR will also help to expedite investigations, particularly in cases of accidents or disputes involving motor vehicles, thereby providing quick resolution and reducing inconvenience for citizens. 

In addition, the Nigeria Police Force maintains that the ability of the Force to maintain accurate vehicular information contributes to national security. It ensures that vehicles associated with criminal activities can be tracked and addressed promptly.  

What you should know  

• The discontinuation of the manual processing and issuance of all CMR documents/certificates and migration to the digitalized NPF CMR portal consequently makes all other CMR certificates previously issued by the NPF invalid.  

 [Nairametrics]