From Walter Ukaegbu, Abuja
The Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council, Joseph Osanipin had called on the government to encourage the manufacturing and development of components and parts sectors in the country.
The DG made this call during an interaction with newsmen in Abuja, lamenting that those days cars get their tyres, batteries, foams and other components manufactured in Nigeria.
He said all these can still be achieved, even though most of this industries are dead. “We intend to support their revival. We will increase local content and meet AFCTA 30% quarter when they start work.
According to him, the Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan NAIDP is there to guide the sector, it is still a plan until implemented. We need investors who will have confidence in the policy and with the support of the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s and the National Assembly the plan will be enacted.
“We will continue to push for it, so that by the time we have it not just as a plan but an act of Parliament, foreign investors will have confidence in investing into the sector. The NAIDP is a pillar we want to implement. These include boosting market through expansion, patronage of made in Nigeria vehicles which cannot be achieved without collective patronage.
“We know this is a process and we do not expect our local manufacturers and or assemblers to start but with the support of everyone including the media, we can make it faster. If we want them to get there without that support, it will take a longer time.
“I was at Innoson plant and it beats my imagination what they are doing there, the kind of investment that is going on there as well as what will come out of there. A lot of Nigerians do not know the kind of technology that is there.
“The CNG is a new technology for most of us because if you take a look at Nigerian roads, more than 99 percent of vehicles are still fuel or gas powered and this means if you have one precent using CNG, it will be insignificant. But we are moving away from pms powered vehicle and this calls for serious preparation. We are preparing ourselves in terms of the standard and quality required, training, monitoring.
“On Eelectric vehicles, we are trying to put in place necessary infrastructure EV may require more infrastructure than CNG. Even though it is capital intensive, we are putting our axe together and keep out heads high with the moving trends”.
Osanipin said a lot of sacrifice has to be made now in order to reap the gains of the future. He appeals to the media to educate the public that this period of pain is going to be a very short period but it will produce gains that will be enjoyed later.