The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Engr. Jelani Aliyu, says the country’s automotive industry attracts no less than Five Hundred Billion Naira (N500,000,000,000).
Engr. Aliyu stated this when he delivered a paper titled, “Automotive Industry as a Sustainable Tool for Technological and Economic Growth and Development in Nigeria” at the 2nd Convocation lecture of Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto, Northern Nigeria.
“Stakeholders of the industry have so far invested a half-trillion Naira and the industry can now produce up to 400 hundred thousand vehicles per year.
“We have strong investors such as Dangote, Innoson, Lanre Shittu, Honda, Hummer Vehicles, Dyna, among others; and the country is at a stage where a number of vehicles are being produced and assembled by many companies in different parts of Nigeria,” Aliyu stated.
He urged government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other individuals to patronize made-in-Nigeria vehicles.
“When you buy a used vehicle it must have some problems. You may think that you save a lot of money at the beginning, but you will always be at the Mechanic, fixing one part or the other; and when you add up all the money the vehicle cost is tremendous.
“But when you buy a brand new vehicle, it has no problem. You only need to change the Engine oil or brake pad and the vehicle would be for many years.
“…Nigeria has commenced the production of electric vehicle called Hyundai Kona, which is part of the NADDC pilot programme in the country.
“The vehicle is stationed at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, where the agency is monitoring and evaluating the performance of the electric vehicle so that our young Nigerians at the University can be part of the process and understand the new technology and add value to it,” Aliyu further added.
The Director-General reiterated the Agency’s commitment to continue promoting vehicle electrification as it is the only way to add more value to technological transport and make Nigeria advanced.
Earlier, the Rector, of the Ummaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Professor Aminu Ibrahim, thanked the NADDC Boss for accepting their invitation, and said the lecture titled, ” Automatic Industry as a Single Tool for Economic Growth and Development” had educated many people present, especially in the area of Automotive Industry.
He commended Engr. Aliyu for growing the quality and quantity of the Automotive Industry from 4% to 7.5% in the country, noting that the Industry had contributed immensely to the increase in the Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria and provided employment opportunities among the teeming youths.
Professor Ibrahim also applauded the Agency for its achievements, while calling on the graduands to embrace their knowledge of technology for sustainable growth in the country.
