By Justina Okpanku
Stakeholders in the automotive industry and the road sector came together under one roof, deliberated, and called for strategic investment in local content development.
The event, the second edition of the Nigeria Auto Industry Summit (NAISU), held under the theme: “Nigeria First: Local Content as Catalyst for Automotive Economy” was apparently giving direction and everyone was saying one thing.
The summit, jointly organised by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), aimed to forge a sustainable roadmap for Nigeria’s automotive industry through homegrown capacity and innovation.
Domestic investors and manufacturers backed the move.
The manufacturers have almost always urged government to insist people must manufacture.
Some had expressed their dissatisfaction about Nigeria being a dumping ground for foreign goods, saying “enough is enough” for vehicle importation.
Thus, the event attracted top stakeholders across government, regulatory agencies, manufacturing, finance, and development sectors.
While seeking a national auto economy agency, a university don urged for a local content drive.
Delivering a keynote presentation entitled “Nigeria First: Local Content as Catalyst for Automotive Economy,” automotive communication consultant and Professor of Mass Communication at Delta State University, Abraka, Dr. Oscar Odiboh, made a compelling case for a radical shift in Nigeria’s approach to auto manufacturing.
Odiboh called for a sweeping local content agenda anchored on the Nigerian Content Plan (NCP), urging Nigerian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to demonstrate commitment to sourcing a substantial percentage of their raw materials, services, and workforce locally.
He emphasised that this would not only stimulate the domestic economy but also foster technological innovation, value chain integration, and sustainable job creation.
“Nigerian OEMs must begin to prioritise local value chain contributors over imports. We must dismantle unfair external advantages and promote healthy local competition and co-creation,” he stated.
Odiboh, meanwhile, had suggested that the agency be launched with a $5 billion seed grant and designed with a 25 -year profit gestation period to ensure sustainability and investor confidence.
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In her keynote, Victoria Backhaus-Jerling, CEO of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM), called for the immediate legalisation of Nigeria’s auto policy to ensure regulatory certainty, attract foreign direct investment, and protect against the dumping of used vehicles.
Backhaus-Jerling noted that AAAM was actively collaborating with African governments under the AfCFTA to unlock regional value chains and promote long-term investment in automotive production.
The Director General of NADDC, Joseph Osanipin, reinforced the urgency of localisation, describing local content as a strategic imperative.
“It’s the engine that will drive economic transformation,” Osanipin stated.
He cited ongoing NADDC initiatives such as production incentives, skills development, and research and development support, aimed at laying a solid foundation for a resilient local automotive ecosystem.
Osanipin acknowledged challenges in areas like finance, electricity, and raw material processing but urged stakeholders to rally behind the “Nigeria First” campaign for long-term industrial progress.
Earlier, in a compelling address, NAJA Chairman, Theodore Opara, declared that Nigeria’s path to industrialisation must be led by a robust automotive sector driven by local content.
“If Nigeria must industrialise, the auto sector must lead. If the auto sector must thrive, local content must be the engine,” he asserted.
Opara criticised the nation’s continued dependence on imported vehicles and component, including tyres, batteries, and brake pads, despite Nigeria’s vast natural resources and labour potential.
He identified policy inconsistency, weak coordination, and poor stakeholder commitment as key obstacles holding back local manufacturing.
He urged stakeholders to embrace the mantra:j “Buy Nigeria. Drive Nigeria. Trust Nigeria.” According to him, only a collective commitment by regulators, OEMs, financiers, and consumers can change the narrative.
Opara also reaffirmed NAJA’s contribution through its three flagship programmes: NAISU, the NAJA Training Workshop, and the Annual NAJA Awards.
As the summit closed, optimism was tempered with realism. Stakeholders emphasised the need for measurable milestones, accountability, and policy continuity.
Opara (NAJA Chairman) proposed that the summit resolutions be documented and forwarded to the Presidency, National Assembly, and key MDAs for immediate policy attention.
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