By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Joseph Osanipin, says the Federal Government is taking steps to convert the National Automotive Industry Development Plan from a policy framework into legislation to provide legal certainty and attract long-term investment into Nigeria’s automotive sector.
Osanipin disclosed this on Monday during a strategic engagement with the House of Representatives Press Corps in Abuja, noting that investors in the capital-intensive automotive industry require legal backing, not policy assurances alone.
“The plan must go beyond policy. It has to be legislated,” he said, stressing that vehicle manufacturing requires investments running into billions of dollars.
Tariffs, Protection and Public Narrative
Osanipin called for informed reporting on industrial protection policies, citing the United States’ 100 per cent tariff on electric vehicles from China in 2024. He said similar measures in Nigeria must be properly explained to highlight their role in job creation, capacity building and technology transfer.
Local Production, CNG Buses and Skills Development
He revealed that Nigeria is already producing Compressed Natural Gas buses locally, with no recorded safety failures, and disclosed that over 15,000 technicians have been trained nationwide to strengthen after-sales services.
Deletion Programme to Reduce Imports
To curb heavy vehicle and spare parts importation, Osanipin said NADDC has introduced a “deletion programme” aimed at identifying components that can be produced locally while strategically developing capacity in selected areas.
AfCFTA and Export Opportunities
Osanipin warned that Nigeria risks missing out on export opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area if it fails to deepen local content to meet the 40 per cent rule of origin requirement.
Global OEMs Impressed by Nigerian Facilities
He disclosed that global auto manufacturers, including Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford, visited Nigerian facilities between 2024 and 2025 and expressed surprise at the level of installed manufacturing capacity in the country.
House, Media Push for Informed Reporting
Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi Jr., said the engagement reflects the 10th Assembly’s commitment to improving public understanding of legislative policies, while Chairman of the House Press Corps, Gboyega Onadiran, urged Nigerians to support locally assembled vehicles.
Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (FCT Council), Grace Ike, commended the House leadership for prioritising journalist training, stressing that effective communication drives investment and accountability.
