The Minister for State of Industry, John Enoch has said that the officially launched “End-to-life Vehicle Regulation” (ELV) will create an opportunity for another industrial value chain for Nigerians to leverage on the initial wasted metals and now become raw materials for industries
Mr Enoch stated this during the stakeholders’ engagement and ministerial press conference/official launching of the ELV project held in Lagos state, southwest Nigeria.
He said that the project would generate over $100 billion and provide 40,000 direct and indirect jobs, marking a pivotal movement in the automotive industry by setting strict standards for vehicle recycling and reuse.
Enoch emphasized the importance of recycling in job creation and economic growth, adding that the regulation will protect Nigeria’s economy, generate employment, enhance road safety, health and the environment.
He advised the National Automotive Design and Development Council to include the critical stakeholders especially the National Union of Road Transport Workers to ensure seamless implementation.
“There should be room for stakeholders engagement and everybody within that corridor must be carried along to achieve success. The project is an application to Nigeria’s economic landscape in comparable with the circular nature of the new world economy. stakeholders both public and private sectors must collaborate and build a cleaner, safer and prosperous economically viable country,” he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Oluwemimo Osanipin acknowledged evolving country’s automotive landscape requires sustainable waste management.
Osanipin maintained that most vehicles on Nigerian roads are pre-owned imports nearing their end-to-life and pose serious environmental hazards without proper regulation.
He stressed the initiative will address the disposal of batteries from electric vehicles as well as preventing environmental damages.
In the same vein, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal represented by Principal Environmental Officer, Ejiogu Nkechi x-rayed the environmental and health risks of improper vehicle disposal, saying that the regulation will create opportunities for green industries and ameliorate environmental hazards.
She noted that the recently launched ELV regulation aligns with the Federal Ministry of Environment’s National Environmental motor Vehicle and Miscellaneous Assembly Regulation 2013 which provides a structured framework for the safe disposal, recycling and reuse of materials from “End-to-Life Vehicles.”
The Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Teeser Ugbor identified the economic potential of the recycling sector, saying that End-to-life vehicles can generate over $100 billion in revenue while creating thousands of jobs.
Ugbor opined that recycling metals reduces production costs and cuts greenhouse gas emissions while encouraging investment in awareness campaigns to discourage the usage of vehicles that become end-to-life on our major roads across the country.
The event drew participants from Automobile companies, Manufacturers, academia, importers and exporters amongst other government functionaries.
The high point of the event was the launching of an information handbook and official gazette to promote public awareness that will prioritize sustainable automotive waste management.
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