The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has urged the National Assembly to expedite action on all automotive-related bills currently before it, emphasizing that legal backing is essential to unlock the sector’s full potential for national development.
This call was made on Monday during a one-day capacity training for members of the House of Representatives Press Corps, organized by the NADDC in conjunction with the House of Representatives.
The training, themed “Strengthening Sectoral Policy Communication and Legislative Reporting on Nigeria’s Automotive Industry Development,” brought together experts to discuss the opportunities, strengths, and challenges facing Nigeria’s automotive industry.
Professor Oscar Odiboh of the Delta State University, Abraka, a specialist in Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations, highlighted the urgent need for government and private sector interventions to boost local vehicle production.
He revealed that about 104 million Nigerians, representing 52 per cent of the population, lack adequate access to vehicular movement, citing a World Bank report.
“From the World Bank report, we understand that 52 per cent of Nigerians are underserved. This population includes urban poor, unemployed semi-urban dwellers, rural residents, and underpaid workers across the country,” Odiboh said.
He added that around five million companies in Nigeria require mobility, with a daily mobility value estimated at ₦122.6 billion.
The professor also identified factors limiting growth in the automotive sector, including high vehicle costs, policy inconsistency, and poor sales. He stressed that the concept of “Made in Nigeria” vehicles would only succeed when cars are truly manufactured locally.
“The NADDC needs to partner with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to monitor and enforce Nigerian content and quality compliance,” Odiboh added.
Echoing this sentiment, Chinedu Oguegbu, Managing Director of OMAA, an indigenous automotive company based in Anambra State, drew comparisons with Morocco, describing it as Africa’s leading automotive manufacturer.
“While Morocco produces 700,000 cars annually, Nigeria produces only 10,000,” he said, noting that Morocco earns $17 billion in car exports yearly, while Nigeria spends $4.5 billion on automotive imports.
Oguegbu urged Nigeria to leverage Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel, citing cost advantages and environmental benefits.
Meanwhile, NADDC Director General Joseph Osanipin emphasized that long-term industrial growth requires legal certainty. “The Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan provides direction, but investors need assurance that policy incentives will endure beyond administrative cycles,” he said.
He added that the Council plans to meet with federal lawmakers to strengthen the legal foundation of the automotive development framework.
The training also underscored the role of informed media coverage in translating industrial policy into public understanding. Akin Rotimi, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said,
“This engagement reflects a deliberate strategy to strengthen professionalism within our parliamentary media ecosystem. Legislative work is only complete when policies are clearly understood by citizens.”
Grace Ike, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Council, called on journalists to enhance policy-focused reporting, noting that informed journalism is key to attracting investment and promoting accountability.
Similarly, Gboyega Onadiran, Chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps, stressed the urgency of boosting local automotive production, warning that continued reliance on imported vehicles deepens economic pressure and undermines industrial growth.
The session concluded with a shared resolve to ensure that both legislative reporting and policymaking work hand-in-hand to support the growth of Nigeria’s automotive sector.
