FG plans automotive supplier industrial park in Nnewi, Osogbo, Igabi

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has disclosed that the Federal Government, in an effort to unlock the opportunities in the automotive sector as well as potentials in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria, will soon unveil the state-of-the-art Automotive Supplier Industrial Park (ASIP) in Kaduna State.

NASENI in a statement signed by its Chief Information Officer, Obiorah Ekwuazi Chinyere, also disclosed that the Federal Government had planned to develop industrial parks for the automotive sector in three zones of the country, Nnewi (Anambra state), Osogbo (Osun state) and Igabi (Kaduna State)) has disclosed that the Federal Government, in an effort to unlock the opportunities in the automotive sector as well as potentials in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria, will soon unveil the state-of-the-art Automotive Supplier Industrial Park (ASIP) in Kaduna State.

The ASIP initiative is in line with the concept of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, which proposed establishing pilot centres in three locations in the country for technology evolution in the automotive sector.

The project is also in line with NASENI’s mandate of primary and intermediate capital products, required for machine and equipment design, fabrication and mass production to provide the enabling environment for sustainable industrialisation of the country.

Briefing the assessment team earlier on the progress report of the project, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive of Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute (HEDI), Kano, one of NASENI’s Development Institutes, Prof Abdulmalik Onuwe, said a special memo was sponsored by HEDI for the development of ASIP in Igabi Local Government of Kaduna State, in the year 2020, which has received the attention and approval of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in 2021 under Special Intervention Capital Appropriation and has therefore been funded and has commenced implementation.

According to him, the project is intended to unlock opportunities in the auto sector as well as potentials in the manufacturing industry to create employment and skilled labour in the region and sub-Saharan Africa and save the country’s foreign exchange spent on importing vehicles and spare parts.

“Furthermore, it will provide the Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company with the necessary support in the production of armoured vehicles.”

On the construction of the project, he said the site covers over 501,342.5 metres square (m2) of land, comprising the Information and Communication Technology Centre, Administrative Block, Automotive Sales Spare Outlet and NASENI Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centre of Excellence.

Speaking at the site, the Coordinating Director, Planning and Business Development (PBD), NASENI and the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Commissioning of NASENI Projects, who led the assessment team to the project site in Kaduna, Mrs. Noyem Onyechi, commended the project manager and the contractors on the progress made so far.

She, however, advised the contractors to fast-track the progress of the work as Mr President has given instructions that he wants to commission it before handing it over to the incoming government.

Also, in his remarks, the Director of Procurement, NASENI, Dr Mohammed A. Mohammed, said there is a need for the contractor to organise the workers to work concurrently so as to limit the initial targets given for the completion of the work.

While conducting the team round, Prof Abdulmalik said the new target given to the contractors is feasible as all that is required for the work will be procured soon.

He explained that the Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) buildings are the heart of the project. The Committee expressed their satisfaction on the on-going project but added that the workers should run shifts to meet up with the two weeks given to them for the revisit of the committee.

At the end of the inspections, Dr Mohammed requested that the technical committees should be made to visit the site once a week to inspect the work.

The ASIP comprises ICT buildings, Advanced Manufacturing Technology Workshop NASENI Centre for Excellence, cargo stations, automotive parts and sales services outlet building, and underpass among other buildings.