The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) on Thursday in Lagos convened a stakeholders’ sensitization meeting on the implementation of the Import Deletion Programme for motorcycle and tricycle component parts in Nigeria.
Addressing participants at the forum, the Director-General of NADDC, Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, emphasized that the recommendation of parts for deletion remains a core mandate of the Council.
“The Council is mandated to periodically review parts and components used in the manufacturing of motorcycles, tricycles, bicycles, and motor vehicles, and to recommend specific components for deletion where local production capacity exists or can be developed,” he stated.
Osanipin noted that the industry has reached a decisive moment where critical decisions must be taken regarding components to be recommended for deletion. He explained that the meeting was a direct outcome of the Council’s strategic policy direction aimed at strengthening local production capacity and deepening Nigeria’s automotive value chain.
He stressed that while the time has come to take firm decisions on parts deletion, such decisions must be backed by deliberate and practical action. According to him, before recommending deletion, the Council must ensure that identified components can be produced locally in sufficient quantity and quality.
“Therefore, the immediate priority is to stimulate and support domestic manufacturing of those components targeted for deletion,” he added.
The NADDC boss further highlighted that the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) clearly acknowledges the necessity of developing local components for the automotive industry. He said the policy shift is driven by the need to increase local content development, deepen industrialization, and strengthen the automotive ecosystem.
“One of the strategic thrusts of the NAIDP is industrialization and value chain development, ensuring the growth of a sustainable automotive ecosystem,” Osanipin emphasized.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of the Motorcycle Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Rev. Lambert Ekewuba, said the mission is to prioritize local content development, promote value addition, and eliminate avoidable imports within Nigeria’s automotive sector.
He stressed that reducing dependency on imported components is essential to building a resilient and competitive domestic industry.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association (NAMA), Mr. Bawo Omagbitse, advised that for the policy to be sensible and justified, stakeholders must create conditions that make local production more viable and competitive than importing parts. He called for urgent efforts to address production challenges and establish an enabling environment that supports manufacturers.
Similarly, a representative of the Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Oluchi Odimuko, noted that the engagement comes at a defining moment for Nigerian manufacturers within the automotive value chain. She added that the Import Deletion Programme has the potential to catalyze local content development, deepen industrial capabilities, and create sustainable jobs for Nigerians.
Stakeholders at the meeting agreed that through collaboration, strategic investment, and firm policy implementation, Nigeria’s automotive sector can significantly reduce import dependence, stimulate industrial growth, and contribute meaningfully to national economic development.
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