Senate, NADDC Assures Investors of Original Equipment Manufacturing

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator Sam Egwu, said the resourcefulness exhibited by the Jelani Aliyu led National Automotive Design and Development Council, (NADDC), to bring original equipment manufacturers to Nigeria is highly commendable as it will change the face of the automotive industry in Nigeria and on the continent. He said bringing original equipment manufacturers to Nigeria will produce positive multipliers effects for the country’ economic development, including job creation, reduction of road accidents due to fake parts and reduction in environmental pollution amongst others. Making these disclosures in Abuja when he received a delegation of the Association of Africa Automotive Manufacturers who were on a working visit to Nigeria, the senate industry, trade and investment committee chairman reaffirmed the commitment of the government to boost investment in the Nigerian Automotive Industry. Egwu assured the delegation that the laws relating to automotive industry in Nigeria would soon be passed, adding that the government is committed towards ensuring that the Automotive Bill which is currently in the National Assembly would soon see the light of the day. On his part, The Director General of NADDC, Mr. Jelani Aliyu (MFR), told the delegation that Nigeria remains a fertile ground for investment in the automotive industry. The NADDC director general said the NADDC and the National Assembly were closely working to ensure the speedy passage of the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) Bill into law, in order to promote investment drive for the original equipment manufacturers who will set up manufacturing plants in the country. According to him, “original equipment manufacturers that are desirous of investing in the Nigeria auto industry have nothing to worry about, as the NAIDP Bill will soon receive presidential assent”. Speaking on behalf of the group, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Thomas Schaefer said the visit was part of joint effort to identify opportunities and challenges that would enable the original equipment manufacturers take decisions and apply measures to leapfrog Nigeria to global automotive development and standard practices.