Abuja: Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged automotive manufacturers in Nigeria to scale up production capacity for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered and electric vehicles to meet the rising national demand. Shettima, represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, made the call while declaring open the 25th Abuja International Motor Fair.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Shettima described the automotive sector as a key driver of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He stated that the administration was steering the industry on the pillars of ‘Gas, Green and Growth’, highlighting Nigeria’s abundant gas reserves as a strategic pathway for affordable mass transit. The vice-president recalled that the government had allocated N20 billion through Credit Corp to support the acquisition of locally assembled vehicles, emphasizing the need for financing packages with single-digit interest rates for Made-in-Nigeria vehicles.
Shettima expressed that when a teacher, nurse, or entrepreneur can afford a quality, locally-assembled car, it creates a cycle of demand, production, job creation, and national economic stability. Finance is essential for the industry’s growth, and he encouraged commercial institutions to find innovative ways to support the automotive sector. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making Nigeria the regional hub for CNG and electric mobility in West Africa and urged stakeholders to prioritize local production under the Nigeria First Policy.
Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s automotive industry through consistent policies and strategic incentives. He emphasized that the sector remains central to the administration’s drive for industrialization and economic diversification. Enoh praised progress under the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP), commending local assemblers and component manufacturers for proving that Made-in-Nigeria vehicles could compete in quality and value.
The Director-General of NADDC, Joseph Osanipin, stated that the agency was working to revive and reposition the automotive sector through sustained implementation of the NAIDP. He emphasized market expansion, component development, and enhanced local capacity as central to the council’s agenda. Osanipin noted that Nigeria currently has about 30 active assemblers with investments nearing one billion dollars, despite the sector’s challenges. He cited Nigeria’s large market, youthful population, and government policy reforms as strong prospects for growth.
Earlier, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, Managing Director of BKG Exhibition Limited and co-organizer of the fair, highlighted the event’s endurance through Nigeria’s economic cycles. He urged governments to establish a functional vehicle financing scheme to make car ownership affordable and stimulate demand, emphasizing that vehicle finance is a necessity, not a luxury.