The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) have intensified efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s automotive industry through local content development, innovation, and the integration of local technicians into the automotive value chain.
- +NADDC, RMRDC target local technicians, innovation to revive automotive sector
This formed the focus of a strategic engagement between Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, director-general of the NADDC, and Nnayelugo Ikemounso, the director-general of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, held recently in Abuja.
This formed the focus of a strategic engagement between Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, director-general of the NADDC, and Nnayelugo Ikemounso, the director-general of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, held recently in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, Osanipin stressed the urgent need to develop automotive components using locally available raw materials, noting that sustained research and development would play a critical role in repositioning the sector.
He said Nigeria’s automotive industry could only achieve meaningful local content growth through strong collaboration among government agencies and relevant stakeholders.
According to him, coordinated institutional efforts are necessary to build a resilient and self-sustaining automotive sector capable of supporting industrialisation and economic growth.
“The growth of local content in the automotive sector cannot be effectively realised without strong inter-agency collaboration,” he stated.
Osanipin added that developing indigenous capacity in automotive manufacturing and component production would reduce dependence on imports while creating jobs and boosting technical skills across the country.
In his remarks, Ikemounso reaffirmed the commitment of the RMRDC to supporting the automotive council in harnessing locally available resources for vehicle and component production.
He noted that the collaboration aligns with the broader national objective of promoting sustainable industrial development through local resource utilisation and innovation-driven policies.
The meeting also focused on strategies to mobilise local technicians and artisans, integrate players in the informal sector into the automotive value chain, and leverage national logistics frameworks to accelerate local content development.
Both agencies agreed that strengthening technical skills and supporting grassroots participation in the industry would help deepen industrial capacity and improve the competitiveness of locally produced automotive products.
