Nigeria cracks down on illegal vehicle imports to spur domestic auto growth

Nigeria’s automotive regulator has launched a new policy initiative to increase the adoption of locally manufactured vehicles and eliminate unregulated car imports that pose safety and environmental risks.

The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) announced the move during a stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo on Wednesday, where Director General Oluwemimo Osanipin revealed that the policy push follows President Bola Tinubu’s recent approval of a national strategy to promote made-in-Nigeria vehicles.

“This regulation is not merely a formality,” Osanipin said. “It ensures safety, environmental soundness, and combats smuggled, accident-damaged, and aged vehicles. It is about protecting lives, the economy, and our environment.”

Under the new policy, all vehicle importers, distributors, and marketers must be registered and regulated. The council says this will improve consumer confidence and attract investment into the domestic automobile industry. Osanipin stressed that the regulation is designed to nurture a responsible market and accelerate innovation across Nigeria’s automotive value chain.

Chairman of the Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association (NAMA), Mr Bawo Omagbitse, supported the initiative, noting it would build public trust. “Once the public begins to have trust, we will go places,” he said.

The Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) also backed the plan, with its President, Prince Ajibola Adedoyin, citing national security as a key concern. “Non-regulation has made it possible for anybody to import vehicles. That’s a security threat,” he said. “This new policy will ensure every car can be traced to a dealer.”

With the new framework in place, NADDC aims to create a robust ecosystem that supports sustainable growth and aligns Nigeria’s automotive ambitions with global standards.

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