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Former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has urged the Federal Government to adopt a long-term and consistent automotive industry policy that prioritises local value creation and domestic manufacturing, rather than relying heavily on revenue generated from vehicle import duties.
Oyeyemi made the call on Thursday in Lagos at the 30th anniversary celebration of Motoring World magazine, themed “Celebrating Three Decades of Excellence in Automotive Journalism.”
Speaking as the chairman on the occasion, Oyeyemi said Nigeria possessed one of the largest automotive markets in Africa, but has failed to fully harness its enormous potential due to policy inconsistenciy and inadequate support for local manufacturing.
Opportunities
He noted that Nigeria’s population of over 240 million people, an estimated vehicle fleet of 21 million units, a road network spanning more than 204,000 kilometres and a growing urban population provide significant opportunities for vehicle assembly, component manufacturing, automotive financing, electric vehicle infrastructure and related services.
Despite these advantages, he noted that the country’s automotive manufacturing sector remains underdeveloped and heavily dependent on imported used vehicles.
Oyeyemi, who is also the chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, lamented that the National Automotive Industry Development Plan and other regulatory frameworks had been repeatedly reviewed and restructured without generating the sustained industrial growth expected from a country of Nigeria’s size and market potential.
“Investors have come and gone, assembly plants have opened and closed, and the Nigerian consumer continues to drive imported vehicles, mostly second-hand, often poorly maintained and frequently unsafe, when they should be driving vehicles assembled in Nigeria to international standards,” he said.
He added that Nigeria’s domestic automotive manufacturing industry remains in its infancy, struggling to develop the supply-chain depth, technical workforce and policy consistency required to make local vehicle production globally competitive.
Oyeyemi commended Motoring World magazine for consistently advocating policies aimed at strengthening the automotive sector over the past three decades, describing the publication as a major stakeholder in the industry’s development.
The former FRSC boss also raised concerns over road safety, describing it as the most critical human dimension of the transportation sector. He called on government at all levels to significantly increase funding for road safety infrastructure and institutions: “Road safety is not an abstract concept; it is a matter of life and death. Without deliberate and adequate funding, institutions responsible for enforcement, education and emergency response cannot perform optimally.”
According to him, investment in road infrastructure, traffic management systems and safety enforcement has not kept pace with rapid increase in vehicular movement, resulting in rising road crashes, fatalities and economic losses.
He stressed that government funding should go beyond routine allocations to include strategic investments in modern traffic technology, improved road design, driver education, and capacity building for enforcement agencies.
Oduwole on NAIDP
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed that the Federal Government is reviewing the nation’s automotive policy to accommodate emerging technologies and align the sector with global trends.
Represented by Samuel Adetoro, Desk Officer for the Auto Industry at the ministry, Oduwole said the review was designed to position Nigeria’s automotive ecosystem for sustainable mobility and industrial development.
She described the automotive industry as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda, with the potential to create jobs, attract investments, deepen local manufacturing, and reduce dependence on imported vehicles.
While noting that the existing policy has provided a framework for vehicle assembly operations in the country, the minister said changing global realities and technological advancements have made policy updates necessary.
NADDC DG seeks synergy
In his keynote address, the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Chief Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, called for stronger collaboration among government, industry stakeholders, and the media to accelerate Nigeria’s automotive industrialisation and position the country as a leading automotive manufacturing hub in Africa.
Represented by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs Susan Bisong-Taiwo,
Osanipin, said the future of mobility is being reshaped globally by electric vehicles, alternative fuels, smart manufacturing, and green transportation technologies, stressing that Nigeria must not be left behind.
He disclosed that the council is implementing initiatives focused on electric vehicle development, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion programmes, local content promotion, automotive component development, skills acquisition, and strategic industry partnerships.
The anniversary celebration also featured glowing tributes to the Publisher of MotoringWorld International, Mr. Femi Owoeye, for his pioneering contributions to automotive journalism in Nigeria.
Kudos to MotoringWorld/Owoeye
Oyeyemi described Owoeye’s decision to establish a specialised automotive publication in 1996 as bold and visionary, noting that at the time, there was little assurance that such a niche publication would survive.
“Femi Owoeye made a bold and unconventional decision to dedicate his career to documenting Nigeria’s automotive and transport sector. Thirty years later, that decision has produced an institution of national importance,” he said.
Other News
He described MotoringWorld as a critical repository of Nigeria’s automotive history, having documented key policy shifts, industry developments, and technological transformations over the years.
According to him, the publication has played a significant role in promoting accountability, policy advocacy, and best practices within the transport ecosystem, while chronicling major developments ranging from automotive policy evolution and the emergence of ride-hailing services to the influx of foreign vehicle brands and the rise of cleaner energy vehicles.
Oyeyemi added that MotoringWorld’s three-decade archive represents an invaluable institutional memory that should help guide future policy decisions in Nigeria’s transport and automotive sectors.
.The anniversary event attracted key players from the automotive industry, government officials, regulators, transport experts, media practitioners and other stakeholders who gathered to celebrate the publication’s contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria’s motoring sector over the past three decades.
Award for Oyeyemi
One of the highpoints of the event was the presentation of awards to deserving personalities and corporate organisations, including Dr. Oyeyemi himself who was honoured with ‘Motoring World’s Road Safety Leadership & Legacy Award*
Some of the dignitaries who were present at the event included Kunle Jaiyesimi, the Deputy Managing Director of CFAO Motors Nigeria Limited, who is also the Chairman, Automobile and Allied Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI): and Abiona Babarinde, General Manager,, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group..
While Jaiyesimi received CFAO Mobility’s Motoring World’s Mobility Innovation Award,* Babarinde was the one who received the Motoring World ‘s Auto Business Excellence Award* that the Coscharis Group was honoured with.
Other guests were His Royal Majesty, Oba Dr. Olusegun Aderemi, the Atayero of Aramoko Kingdom;Felix Mahan, General Manager, Carloha Nigeria Limited (Chery distributors); Mr Abduraheem Olu Agunbiade, and many other distinguished auto industry players and enthusiasts.
All the award categories, recipient
1. Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi- *Motoring World’s Road Safety Leadership &Legacy Award*
2. Luqman Mamudu- *Motoring World’s Automotive Public Service Award*
3. MOSES Akaigwe – *Motoring World’s Auto Journalism Legacy Awards*
4. Rotimi Asher – *Motoring World’s Founding Editorial Excellence Award.*
5. Mrs. Bukky Ogunnusi – *Motoring World’s Corporate Communications Excellence Award*
6. Mrs Kemi Koyejo – *Motoring World’s Women in Auto Leadership Award*
7. Jacky Hathiramani – *Motoring World’s Automotive Enterprise Leadership Award*
8. Dr. Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma – *Motoring World Automobile Industrialisation Icon Award*
9. HRM Oba, (Dr) Olusegun Aderemi – *Motoring World’s Auto Diagnostics & Service Excellence Award*
10. Abdulraheem Olu Agunbiade – *Motoring World’s Pioneer of Nigerian Motorsports Award.*
11. Late Tunde Bola Ojo – Motoring World’s Posthumous Lifetime Achievement in Transport Broadcasting Award
12. Honda Automobile Western Africa Limited – *Motoring World’s Automotive Brand Heritage & Consistency Award*
13. Coscharis Group – *Motoring World ‘s Auto Business Excellence Award*
14. CFAO Mobility Limited – *Motoring World’s Mobility Innovation Award*
15. Toyota Nigeria Limited – *Motoring World’s Enduring Auto Brand Award*
16. Monaplex Industries Limited – *Motoring World’s Auto Parts Manufacturing Excellence Award*
17. Stallion Motors Limited – *Motoring World’s Legacy Auto Investment Award*
18. NADDC- *Motoring World’s Resilience in National Automotive Development Award*
19. *Cedric Group – Motoring World’s Indigenous Auto Enterprise Award*
20. RT Briscoe Plc- *Motoring World’s Automotive Institutional Excellence Award
