Uyo: The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has urged stakeholders to embrace industry regulations in order to ensure safety and environmental soundness of vehicles in Nigeria. The Director-General, Mr. Oluwemimo Osanipin, made the call at a stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, emphasizing the council’s commitment to maintaining order in the automotive industry.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Osanipin addressed the meeting, which was themed ‘Import of Used Cars and Dealership Regulation in Nigeria,’ and reiterated NADDC’s dedication to public safety and environmental protection. He urged vehicle importers, distributors, and marketers to register and comply with regulations to foster an organised automotive market. “Regulation is not merely a formality; it is crucial for several fundamental reasons. It ensures the safety and environmental soundness of vehicles. Regulations actively combat the illicit trade of smuggled, accident-ridden, and aged vehicles within the country,” Osanipin stated.
Further, Osanipin highlighted that regulating the automotive industry would mitigate the adverse effects of unregulated used vehicles on human lives, the economy, and the environment. He called on stakeholders to collaborate towards cleaning up the industry to achieve the Federal Government’s goals for the sector.
Mr. Bawo Omagbitse, the Chairman of the Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association, supported the regulation of the automotive industry, stating it would benefit all stakeholders. He asserted that regulating dealerships would bring order to the industry and build trust, thereby increasing public acceptance of locally manufactured vehicles.
In his keynote address, Mr. Ajibola Adedoyin, President of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria, emphasized the necessity of regulating imported vehicles for security reasons. Adedoyin encouraged manufacturers to cooperate with the association to promote local production of automotive vehicles. He noted that with proper regulations in place, it would be possible to trace every vehicle imported into the country back to a specific dealer.
