By Theodore Opara
Nigeria’s dependence on imported vehicles and spare parts has surged dramatically, with the country spending a staggering N6.54 trillion on transport equipment and auto parts between 2023 and 2025, the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, Oluwemimo Osanipin, has revealed.
Osanipin disclosed this on Tuesday at the opening of the West African Automotive Summit in Lagos, warning that the rising import bill posed a major challenge to the growth of Nigeria’s local automotive industry and underscored the urgent need to strengthen after-sales services, local capacity, and consumer confidence in locally assembled vehicles.
Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, he said Nigerians spent over N4.3 trillion on vehicle imports within the period, while total imports of transport equipment and parts jumped from N3.15 trillion in 2023 to N6.54 trillion in 2025, an increase of 107 per cent in two years.
Speaking on the summit theme, “After-Sales as a Growth Engine,” Osanipin said the future of Nigeria’s automotive sector depended not only on vehicle sales but also on the strength of maintenance services, spare parts availability, technical support, warranties and customer engagement.
He explained that countries with successful automotive industries had built strong after-sales ecosystems supporting local manufacturing, creating jobs and boosting consumer confidence.
According to him, improving after-sales support is critical to advancing the federal government’s automotive development agenda and encouraging Nigerians to embrace locally assembled vehicles.
Osanipin warned that poor after-sales service discouraged investment and weakened consumer trust, while efficient customer support could drive repeat purchases and expand market opportunities.
He also highlighted the need for continuous training and capacity building for technicians and service personnel, especially as the industry gradually embraced electric and hybrid vehicle technologies.
The NADDC boss added that the council was collaborating with stakeholders on skills acquisition programmes, technical training, and policy initiatives aimed at improving standards across the industry.
He further urged automobile companies, dealers and service providers to invest more in customer support infrastructure and genuine spare parts distribution networks nationwide.
Osanipin described the summit as a strategic platform for industry players to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and explore opportunities for automotive growth across West Africa.
Stakeholders at the event discussed strategies for strengthening local content development, improving vehicle maintenance culture, enhancing technical expertise, and promoting sustainable mobility solutions in Nigeria and the wider West African region.
Article Nigeria spends N6.54tn to import auto parts in 2 years—DG NADDC Live On NgGossips.
