The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has called on the National Assembly to fast-track the passage of all automotive-related bills, stressing that robust legal support is critical to unlocking the sector’s full potential for national economic growth.
The appeal was made on Monday during a one-day capacity-building workshop for members of the House of Representatives Press Corps, jointly organized by the NADDC and the House of Representatives.
The training, themed “Strengthening Sectoral Policy Communication and Legislative Reporting on Nigeria’s Automotive Industry Development,” convened industry experts to examine opportunities, challenges, and the growth potential of Nigeria’s automotive sector.
Professor Oscar Odiboh of Delta State University, Abraka, a specialist in Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations, highlighted the urgent need for stronger government and private sector support to expand local vehicle production.
Citing a World Bank report, Odiboh revealed that roughly 104 million Nigerians, representing 52 per cent of the population, lack sufficient access to transportation.
“According to the World Bank, 52 per cent of Nigerians are underserved. This includes the urban poor, unemployed semi-urban residents, rural communities, and underpaid workers nationwide,” he stated.
He further noted that about five million businesses in Nigeria require reliable mobility, estimating the daily mobility value at ₦122.6 billion.
Professor Odiboh identified high vehicle costs, inconsistent policies, and low sales as major constraints to sector growth. He stressed that “Made in Nigeria” vehicles would only thrive when production is genuinely local.
“The NADDC should collaborate with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to enforce Nigerian content and quality compliance,” he added.
Supporting this view, Chinedu Oguegbu, Managing Director of OMAA, an indigenous automotive company in Anambra State, compared Nigeria’s automotive output with Morocco, Africa’s leading car manufacturer.
“Morocco produces 700,000 vehicles annually, whereas Nigeria produces just 10,000,” he said. “Morocco earns $17 billion from vehicle exports each year, while Nigeria spends $4.5 billion on automotive imports.”
Oguegbu also encouraged Nigeria to explore Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel, noting its economic and environmental benefits.
Meanwhile, NADDC Director-General Joseph Osanipin emphasized that long-term industrial expansion requires stable legal frameworks.
“The Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan provides guidance, but investors need certainty that incentives will persist beyond successive administrations,” he explained. Osanipin added that the Council intends to engage federal lawmakers to reinforce the sector’s legal framework.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of well-informed media coverage in translating industrial policy into public comprehension.
Akin Rotimi, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said:
“This initiative is part of a deliberate strategy to enhance professionalism within the parliamentary media ecosystem.
Legislative efforts are meaningful only when policies are clearly communicated to citizens.”
Grace Ike, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Council, urged journalists to focus on policy-driven reporting, emphasizing that informed media is essential for attracting investment and ensuring accountability.
Similarly, Gboyega Onadiran, Chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps, underlined the need to increase local automotive production, warning that continued dependence on imported vehicles strains the economy and limits industrial development.
The session concluded with a collective commitment to ensure that legislative reporting and policymaking are mutually reinforcing, supporting the sustained growth of Nigeria’s automotive industry.
