Director-General Pushes For Legal Backing Of Nigeria’s Automotive Policy

The director-general of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) Joseph Osanipin has stressed the need to transform Nigeria’s automotive policy into law.

According to him, investors will remain cautious unless the industry’s regulatory framework is backed by legislation.

Osanipin stated this in Abuja yesterday at a capacity-building programme for journalists, organised by NADDC in collaboration with the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, themed “Strengthening Sectoral Policy Communication and Legislative Reporting on Nigeria’s Automotive Industry Development.”

He said the Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan provides direction for the sector, but long-term industrial growth requires legal certainty.

Osanipin said manufacturers considering large-scale investment in vehicle assembly and component production need assurance that policy incentives will endure beyond administrative cycles.

He disclosed that the Council plans further engagement with lawmakers at the National Assembly to advance efforts to strengthen the legal foundation of the automotive development framework.

The DG said the automotive industry is one of the most capital-intensive sectors globally, and that sustained policy consistency is required before investors commit resources.

He explained that legislative backing would provide stability, deepen local production and accelerate industrialisation.

Osanipin also used the forum to urge journalists covering legislative and economic issues to situate policy decisions within their broader industrial context, particularly measures aimed at protecting domestic production.

Osanipin disclosed that Nigeria has made progress in local automotive innovation, including the design and production of tricycles using locally sourced materials and the growth of capacity in the assembly of compressed natural gas vehicles.

The Council, he added, has trained more than 15,000 technicians nationwide to strengthen after-sales services and technical sustainability within the sector.

Nigeria currently spends trillions of naira annually on vehicle imports and spare parts, a trend the Council aims to reverse through a localisation programme that targets the domestic production of selected automotive components.

He explained that while no country manufactures every vehicle component, Nigeria has identified parts that can be produced locally and is working with assemblers and manufacturers to expand domestic capacity.

The DG further revealed that global manufacturers, including Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford, have inspected Nigerian facilities and expressed surprise at the level of infrastructure available in the country.

He said some advanced production equipment in Nigeria ranks among the most sophisticated on the continent, yet receives limited visibility in public discourse.

The Council’s chief executive linked automotive development to broader economic goals, noting that the sector supports industrial diversification, conserves foreign exchange and positions Nigeria to benefit from continental trade frameworks through stronger local content.

Osanipin emphasised that improved understanding of sectoral policy among legislative reporters would enhance public discourse and support evidence-based decision-making.

The DG expressed confidence that improved policy communication and informed legislative reporting would strengthen Nigeria’s push to expand its automotive footprint across Africa.

For his part, chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akintunde Rotimi, underscored the need for specialised knowledge among legislative reporters, saying informed media coverage is essential to translating industrial policy into public understanding and national development outcomes.

Rotimi said the engagement reflects a deliberate strategy by the House to strengthen professionalism within its parliamentary media ecosystem and ensure legislative reporting keeps pace with increasingly complex policy issues.

He conveyed the goodwill of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and members of the 10th Assembly, describing the programme as part of broader institutional reforms aimed at improving policy communication and democratic accountability.

According to him, legislative work does not end with lawmaking or oversight but is completed when policies and reforms are clearly understood by citizens. He said the press corps plays a pivotal role in translating legislative intent, oversight outcomes, and sectoral frameworks into public knowledge, thereby strengthening transparency and trust.

The lawmaker explained that the House has institutionalised a structured, continuous capacity development programme for its media teams, designed to be progressive, sector-focused, and responsive to national priorities.

He described the automotive industry training as a continuation of that reform agenda, stressing that the sector sits at the intersection of industrialisation, local content development, job creation, technology transfer and economic diversification.

Rotimi said the focus aligns with the House legislative agenda on economic growth, which prioritises diversification away from oil dependence, investment-friendly reforms and sustainable industrial expansion.

He commended the automotive council for providing technical depth and institutional leadership, noting that its work in policy formulation, industry regulation, innovation support and local manufacturing promotion contributes directly to Nigeria’s industrial development objectives.

The chairman said the primary goal of the training was to improve the depth, accuracy and context of parliamentary reporting on the automotive sector while enhancing public confidence in policy initiatives.

He explained that oversight of government agencies includes ensuring that legislative media teams understand sectoral mandates and policy directions, enabling more effective collaboration between institutions and the public.

Rotimi urged participants to engage actively with facilitators, interrogate policy frameworks, and build expertise to strengthen ongoing media engagement with government agencies.

The lawmaker emphasised that institutional support for professional excellence remains a priority for the House, citing recent welfare initiatives, including facilitating health insurance coverage for members of the press corps.

He encouraged public institutions and private-sector partners in the automotive industry to consider supporting journalists through corporate social responsibility initiatives that improve mobility and operational efficiency.

Rotimi commended the automotive council for initiating the engagement and described the partnership as one that would strengthen policy narratives and contribute meaningfully to national development.

He reaffirmed the House’s commitment to initiatives that enhance professional capacity, improve policy communication, and support reforms across critical sectors of the economy.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists FCT Council, Grace Ike, called on legislative reporters and media professionals to strengthen policy-focused reporting on Nigeria’s automotive industry, saying informed journalism is vital to public understanding, investment attraction and accountability.

Ike described the training as a strategic intervention aimed at equipping journalists to translate complex sectoral policies into accessible public knowledge that can shape national development outcomes.

She commended the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akintunde Rotimi, for what she described as consistent efforts to strengthen professional capacity among parliamentary reporters.

“Our role as journalists and media aides is to translate complex sectoral policies into stories that resonate with everyday Nigerians,” she said.

She noted that effective communication ensures that legislative initiatives and policy measures supporting automotive development do not remain confined to official documents but instead stimulate public discourse and attract investment.

Ike said the training would enable reporters to improve coverage of legislative and regulatory initiatives, including policy frameworks guiding the Nigerian assembly and emerging developments in electric vehicle adoption.