The National Automotive Design and Development Council has foreclosed the possibility of Nigeria banning importation of used vehicles.
Director General of the council, Alhaji Aminu Jalal who spoke in Kaduna on Wednesday at the commencement of assessors and verifiers’ training by the National Board for Technical Education said the ban on fairly used cars had never been effective in any country.
Rather, government policies would force down the influx of used cars into the country.
Jalal disclosed that the council would strictly implement the Federal Government’s industrial development plan policy, which would boost local manufacturing of vehicles in the country.
One of such policies was government’s approval of the mandatory patronage of made in Nigeria vehicles to boost local automobile industries.
According to the DG, when the national automotive industrialisation development plan was strictly implemented, the importation of fairly used vehicles in the country would reduce.
Represented by the Director of Infrastructure, Abdulwaheed Adetoro, Jalal added that the council’s mandate to ensure the sustainable development of the automotive industry in the country, using local human and material resources, would be sustained.
He stated, “Right now, the automotive council has taken cognisance of the need to promote and boost market particularly for local manufacturers; there must be enough market for them to sell. This will force the importation of vehicles to come down.
“That is why government has approved the mandatory patronage of local goods, especially vehicles in the country. When the states key into the mandatory patronage of vehicles, the influx of Tokunbo vehicles will reduce in Nigeria.
“The council is also collaborating with West Bank of South Africa to inject more money into vehicles finance scheme and that will encourage manufacturing of local vehicles, which will increase local volume of vehicles. “Internal market will be created for local vehicles.
“ If you use your vehicle for two or three years and you want a new one, the current value of the vehicle will be ascertained and you will take it to the assembly plants and they will change it for you. With this, gradually, Tokunbo vehicles will be phased out” he declared.
