By Moses Akaigwe
The Federal Government and the automotive industry, last week, played host to vehicle manufacturers from South Africa who pledged their full support for the renewed efforts to give traction to the new Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Programme (NAIDP 2023-2033)..
•L-R: NADDC DG, Joseph Osanipin; Transit Support Services MD/NAMA board member, Frank Nneji; and NAMA Executive Secretary, Remi Olaofe…during the interaction with the visiting AAAM delegation
The visitors who came under the umbrella of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM), commended the road map to the development of the auto industry as encapsulated in the NAIDP 2023-2033 and called for its passage and signing into law.
•L-R: James Chipunza, Head of Legal at Volkswagen Group Africa; Pierre-Cedric Senghor, Manager: Business Development at Volkswagen Group Africa; and Celestine Ndlhovu, Vice President of Strategy Business Planning and Marketing at Isuzu South Africa, all part of the AAAM delegation at the meeting in Lagos, on Thursday.
Led by the AAAM President, Ms. Martina Biene, and the CEO, Mr. Dave Coffey, the team emphasized that equally essential (beyond legal support for the NAIDP 2023-2033) is its full and vigorous implementation.
Robust implementation of the Auto Policy, they said, would lead to the production of the needed vehicles for the local market, and also for export in line with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA).
The delegation lauded the recent inauguration of the NAIDP 2023 implementation committee by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite and the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Joseph Osanipin.
They described the idea of the relevant ministries and agencies of the Federal Government being members of the committee as an indication of commitment to ensuring the success of the new policy.
To welcome the visitors in Lagos, an interactive forum was organized by the NADDC at Radisson Blu Hotel on Thursday, with members of the Nigerian Association of Automotive Manufacturers, NAMA, representatives of local content manufacturers, and other stakeholders, in attendance,.
In his opening remarks, the NADDC DG, said that the gathering was very imperative in view of the need to “forge alliances, share knowledge, and lay the groundwork for future where African nations collaborate more closely in the automotive industry,” in the spirit of AfCFTA.
Odanipin said that with its vast resources and strategic position, Nigeria is now poised to become the automotive hub of West Africa, stressing that the country offers a bouquet of investment opportunities to the global industry.
Making a presentation at the participants, Biene said that AAAM coming to Nigeria was sequel to the Director General’s visit to South Africa in January,
Biene informed the gathering that AAAM is in Nigeria in line with the continental body’s goal of promoting collaboration, on the continent, citing examples of countries, including South Africa, that have developed their auto industries through effective implementation of auto policies.
In his presentation, the AAAM CEO, also gave an insight into South Africa’s auto industry, and the various efforts being made by many countries across Africa to develop theirs with the help of auto policies.
“As you can see, there are a lot of activities in the auto industry across Africa,” Coffey remarked, urging Nigeria to key into the momentum.
He recalled that one of the challenges encountered in the implementation of the previous auto policies in Nigeria, was frequent “changes at short notice,” even as he stated that as a long term plan, an auto policy sometimes takes as long as 10 to 15 years to make the desired impact.
Also speaking at the forum, a board member of NAMA who made a presentation on behalf of the association, Mr. Bennett Ejindu, recalled that the key feature of the 1970 to 1993 auto policy was the direct facilitation of development in the industry by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), especially in the area of skills development..
Ejindu, who is the Chief Operating Officer of ANAMMCO, Enugu, observed that this doesn’t seem to be the case in the present era, adding, however: “But, of course, thanks to AAAM, we are going to have that back.”
Similarly speaking, a representative of the resurgent Association of Local Content Manufacturers (ALCMAN), Chief Anselm Ilekuba, disclosed that the body had resolved that there is the need to properly coordinate member-,companies’ activities and potentials, because “it is strange that a company is producing auto parts and nobody knows you are there.”
Chief Ilekuba who is the association’s Coordinator, remarked: “The NADDC DG came to us and we met with the Minister, and agreed that we are going to set up a platform such that at the click of a botton, you are going to sit where you are and know that so so person or company is producing XYZ in a particular location.”
Responding to the observation by the Chairman of Auto Sectoral Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Chief Robert Ugbaja, that there is a plethora of auto assembly plants approved by the NADDC in the country, the Director General disclosed that measures had been introduced to address the situation.
Before leaving Lagos AAAM team, along with the NADDC DG and other participants, went on a visit to Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Ltd, where they were given a tour by a team led by the Group’s General Manager, Projects, Mr. Hikmat B. Thapa.
With the AAAM delegation from South Africa were Mr Celestine Ndlhovu, Vice President of Strategy Business Planning and Marketing at Isuzu South Africa; President of Bosch Africa Region, Dr. Markus Thill; and the representatives of the Nissan, Volkswagen, and CFAO.
In Abuja, the visitors paid a visit to the Industry, Trade and Investment Ministry where they held discussions with the minister.
Unfortunately, the AAAM delegation could not see President Bola Tinubu as scheduled, but were received by his Chief of Staff, Chief Femi Gbajabiamila..
Commentating on the visit by the South Africans, the Minister said on her Facebook account, “We discussed our commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s auto industry and supporting the RenewedHope Agenda.”
Also present at the interactive session in Lagos were the Managing Director of Transit Support Services (TSS)/NAMA board member, Mr. Frank Nneji; Chairman, Iron Products Industries Ltd (IPI), Lagos; Executive Secretary of NAMA, Mr. Remi Olaofe; Chairman of Motorcycle Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Pastor Lambert Ekewuba; and the MD of Lafbart Innovations and Consulting Ltd, Akure.
From the Stallion Group came Arun Rishi, Executive Director of the Group; Dr. Harpreet Singh, Director; Sunil Kumar Dharmapa GM; and Amit Sharma, GM, Stallion Nissan Motors.
Also present were Mr. Remi Adams, Head, Sales & Marketing, Honda’s Automobile West Africa Ltd; Sanjay Rupani of Jet Motors; and Chino Ogwumike of Kojo Motors.