The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with state governments to accelerate automotive industrialisation, promote local vehicle manufacturing, attract investment, and develop a skilled workforce across Nigeria.
The commitment was reiterated during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Cross River State Government, led by the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Cross River State Planning Commission, Dr. Bona Duke, to the Director-General of NADDC, Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration in automotive technology development, skills acquisition, capacity building, standardisation of automotive practices, and the regulation of automobile technicians through the state’s Automobile Technicians Regulatory Department (ATRD).
Speaking during the engagement, Dr. Bona Duke reaffirmed Cross River State’s commitment to becoming a hub for automotive development, noting that closer cooperation with NADDC would enhance technical support, specialised training, knowledge sharing, and youth empowerment.
He also proposed areas of collaboration, including access to development funding for automotive investments and the implementation of a pilot Electric Vehicle (EV) programme using NADDC’s existing framework.
In his response, NADDC Director-General Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin commended the Cross River State Government for establishing the Automobile Technicians Regulatory Department, describing it as a strategic initiative for strengthening technical capacity and automotive regulation.
He reaffirmed the Council’s readiness to deepen collaboration with the state to attract vehicle assembly investments, promote local manufacturing, facilitate technology transfer, and advance electric mobility initiatives.
Osanipin noted that factors such as industrial land availability, proximity to seaports, security, and government support remain critical in attracting automotive investments.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to expanding collaboration aimed at promoting Made-in-Nigeria vehicles, strengthening technical skills, creating employment opportunities, encouraging technology transfer, and attracting strategic investments to advance the automotive sector in Cross River State and across the country.
