Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Industry and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) have converged on Asaba, Delta State, for a four-day strategic retreat aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s automotive industry and giving practical direction to the Federal Government’s industrialisation and job-creation agenda.

The retreat, which brings together lawmakers, officials of the NADDC and other stakeholders in the automotive sector, is focused on taking stock of developments in the industry, identifying existing gaps and challenges, and developing practical strategies for positioning Nigeria to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the global automotive sector.

The retreat is being held under the theme, “Reflecting on the Journey So Far and Projecting into the Future of Nigeria’s Automotive Industry.”

Declaring the retreat open, Chairman of the House Committee on Industry, Dr. Eitan Badru, represented by the Deputy Chairman, Wada Taura, described the gathering as a proactive and timely initiative, particularly against the backdrop of rapid technological and economic changes reshaping the global automotive industry.

Badru said the automotive sector had become a major economic force globally, stressing that Nigeria must be deliberate in developing its capacity to compete in the sector and maximise its potential for industrial growth.

According to him, the retreat was also an opportunity for stakeholders to assess the current state of Nigeria’s automotive industry and examine how ongoing efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and relevant government agencies could be translated into sustainable growth, employment and economic development.

He said the participants were expected to undertake a comprehensive stocktaking of the industry, particularly in relation to industrialisation, environmental sustainability and job creation.

“We are here for stock taking on environmental skyline, auto industrialisation and job creation agenda. Civil institutions cannot deliver this alone. For us to succeed, we must work as partners and hold ourselves accountable for the results of this retreat,” he said.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, described the automotive industry as a cornerstone of industrialisation, job creation and technology transfer under the Federal Government’s economic agenda.

Osanipin said the NADDC had, over the years, pursued reforms designed to strengthen the industry, including efforts to expand local vehicle assembly capacity, promote cleaner energy solutions such as electric vehicles and compressed natural gas (CNG), and upgrade technical training infrastructure across the country.

He, however, noted that sustaining and expanding the gains recorded in the sector would require stronger legislative support, responsive policy adjustments and continuous oversight by the National Assembly.

The NADDC boss said the retreat would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to examine emerging global trends in the automotive industry and determine their implications for Nigeria’s industrial development.

He identified vehicle electrification, local content development and alternative fuel technologies among the critical areas that Nigeria must pay attention to if the country is to remain relevant in the rapidly changing global automotive landscape.

The Executive Director of the African Parliamentary Resource Centre, John Mutu, said the retreat would help participants develop a common understanding of the challenges facing the automotive sector while strengthening their capacity to contribute meaningfully to its development.

Mutu said the engagement was designed to build the capacity of stakeholders to understand the dynamics of the automotive industry, access relevant information and collectively chart a sustainable way forward.

He explained that participants would use the retreat to undertake a comprehensive stocktaking exercise, identify critical gaps and explore ways of reinforcing partnerships between the National Assembly, NADDC and other institutions involved in the sector.

He added that the engagement would also provide an opportunity to identify emerging challenges confronting the automotive industry and determine how stakeholders could work together to address them.