The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) have begun discussions on a strategic partnership to enhance tourism and transportation by promoting the use of locally assembled vehicles.

The proposed collaboration was the focus of a courtesy visit by the Director-General of NTDA, Dr Olayiwola Awakan, to the NADDC headquarters in Abuja, according to a statement by the council.

Speaking during the meeting, Awakan emphasised the critical role of transportation in the growth and development of the tourism sector.

He noted that NTDA, as the country’s apex tourism regulatory agency, was mandated to promote Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, tourist attractions and hospitality industry to attract both domestic and international visitors.

According to him, the authority was developing a ‘Tour Ride’ initiative that would provide dedicated transportation services for tourists visiting the country.

The programme, he said, was expected to leverage locally assembled vehicles and buses to ensure seamless movement of visitors from arrival points to tourist destinations across the country.

Awakan also revealed that NTDA was collaborating with key stakeholders, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and security agencies, to establish tourism information desks at airports and improve safety and mobility for tourists nationwide.

In his response, the Director-General of NADDC, Oluwemimo Osanipin, welcomed the proposal, describing it as a significant opportunity to create stronger linkages between the automotive and tourism sectors.

Osanipin reaffirmed the council’s commitment to working with vehicle manufacturers, assemblers and fleet operators within Nigeria’s automotive ecosystem to facilitate the deployment of locally assembled vehicles for tourism services.

He further noted that automotive events and motor rallies already supported by NADDC could be leveraged as platforms to promote tourism while showcasing Nigeria’s growing automotive industry to local and international audiences.

“NTDA’s expertise in marketing Nigeria as a tourism destination presents an opportunity to elevate automotive-based tourism activities and position them on both national and global stages,” he said.

At the end of the meeting, both agencies agreed to establish a joint working committee to identify specific areas of collaboration and to develop an implementation framework for the partnership.