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By Moses Akaigwe
It has been busy time for the Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, Jelani Aliyu, who visited at least two countries – the United Arab Emirates {UAE} and Spain – recently, in search of foreign collaborations and investments in Nigeria’s automotive sector.
While NADDC’s overture to manufacturers in the European country is expected to revamp auto component production in Nigeria, the visit to the UAE and the resultant partnership with an auto firm would give traction to Nigeria’s drive towards the production of electric and solar-powered tractors locally.
Aliyu represented Nigeria at the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit {EVIS} held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Spanish auto component makers
During one of the trips, NADDC Director General, who was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s entourage to Spain recently, invited the country’s companies and groups to come over and invest in the production of vehicle components in Nigeria.
Aliyu made the call while speaking as a panelist at the Nigerian-Spainish Business and Trade Forum in Madrid.
He informed his guests that leveraging the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, the investors would produce the auto components for both local market and exports to other African countries even as he highlighted the opportunities in the local production of automotive components that could be shipped to Spanish and other European automotive assembly plants,
The NADDC Director General said: “Nigeria is ready for innovation and advanced automotive solutions, products and services.”
He was upbeat that Spanish investments would add significant value to the automotive space in Nigeria. “We are looking forward to further in depth discussions with interested companies and how they can come in to be part of this incredible journey that we have started in Nigeria, especially in Vehicle Electrification.”
Solar tractor production in Nigeria
In a related development, but in the United Arab Emirates, the NADDC held what has been described as “very useful discussions” with a UAE automobile firm on a collaboration that would lead to the production of electric and solar-powered tractors in Nigeria.
The talks were held on the sidelines of the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit, EVIS, which took place from Monday, May 23 to Wednesday, May 25 in Abu Dhabi, where Nigeria recorded a strong presence with the NADDC DG, Jelani Aliyu, leading the delegation.
Giving more insight into the project, the Director General disclosed that the development which, he said was a very “important first move,” would be of tremendous benefit to Nigerian farmers, in addition to promoting food production and sufficiency in the country:
He remarked: “The collaboration with the UAE firm on electric and solar-powered tractor production is expected to cost-efficiently increase yield per hectare for rural farmers towards national food sufficiency which is an area the Federal Government has been placing a lot of emphasis on.”
Aliyu, who also participated as a panelist during the summit, discussed the Nigerian current achievements in the automotive industry, including its strong potential in the sector across the African continent.
The summit brought together researchers, engineers, government officials, and EV-related companies and institutions from around the world to explore and discuss the technical, policy, and market achievements and potentials in e-mobility.
Ambassador extols Jelani
While in the UAE for the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit, the Director General paid a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Ambassador, Mohammed Dansatta-Rimi.
Welcoming him, the ambassador acknowledged the achievements of the DG since his assumption of office, noting that he has done a lot towards developing the automotive industry in Nigeria.
The ambassador, therefore, urged him to continue with his efforts in making Nigeria Africa’s hub for automobile production.
Auto policy, economic development
Commenting on the trips to get offshore investments and collaborations, the Director General explained that they are in line with the goals of the National Automotive Industry Development Plan [NAIDP] and in tandem with the Council’s efforts to ensure that Nigeria is not left behind as the auto world moves away from reliance on fossil fuel.
According to him, by taking strides towards the development of Nigeria’s automotive industry, the NADDC is keying into the economic diversification programmes of the Federal Government.
Auto industry watchers believe that this was, perhaps, one of the reasons the NADDC DG earned a place in the President’s entourage during the visit to Spain last week.
President Muhammadu Buhari was in Spain on a three-day state Visit where he met with Spanish political and business leaders.
The President attended a Political and Business Leaders Forum, jointly organised by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Trade, and the Confederation of Employers.
At the meeting, the Nigerian leader alerted European countries to look towards Africa for solution to the resources supply challenges currently facing the global economy.
He also invited Spanish investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s tax-free environment and limitless expatriate quota at the nation’s Free Trade Zones to boost Nigerian-Spanish trade and economic opportunities.
