Crisis at INATRO forces Government to implement profound reforms by August

The National Institute of Road Transport is entering a crucial phase of transformation, with the Government announcing a profound restructuring that should culminate, by August, in the creation of a new staff framework.

The measure, made public by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, comes as a direct response to a scenario described by the authorities as critical, marked by systemic failures, prolonged delays and worrying signs of mismanagement.

Under the leadership of João Matlombe, the sector acknowledges that the ongoing intervention is not limited to minor adjustments. It is a structural reform that includes the redistribution of staff, the hiring of new technical personnel from the Public Administration, and the upgrading of the technological systems that underpin the services.

This decision is based on the results of audits conducted by the Ministry's Inspectorate General and an independent entity from the Ministry of State Administration and Public Service. The conclusions point to dysfunctions considered serious, ranging from recurring failures in computer systems to significant delays in service, as well as internal weaknesses and evidence of corruption.

The numbers help to illustrate the scale of the problem: as of February 2026, approximately 40,000 driver's licenses remained unissued, while more than 32,000 applications were awaiting processing. This backlog has fueled user dissatisfaction and undermined public confidence in the institution.

Given this scenario, the Government guarantees that the reform process will be overseen by an inter-institutional technical team, responsible for monitoring the implementation of the measures until August. At the same time, it assures that services will not be interrupted during the transition.

The Executive believes that this intervention will not only normalize the functioning of INATRO, but also restore the credibility of a central institution for the regulation of road transport in the country.