Stakeholders Urge Caution as Nigeria Moves to Restrict Imported Vehicles and Spare Parts

Stakeholders within Nigeria’s automotive sector are advising the Federal Government to proceed carefully with its proposed End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) policy, which aims to impose stricter controls on imported vehicles and spare parts.

The policy, spearheaded by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), is slated for full implementation by the second quarter of 2026. According to the NADDC Director-General, Otunba Joseph Osanipin, the initiative is designed to remove unsafe vehicles from Nigerian roads and curb the influx of substandard spare parts.

Speaking recently at the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association International Awards 2025, Osanipin emphasized that the ELV framework seeks to reshape vehicle standards, enhance road safety, and bolster the domestic automotive industry. “Nigeria cannot continue to be a dumping ground for used and unsafe vehicles,” he stated.

He confirmed that operational procedures for the policy are being finalized in collaboration with relevant agencies. Once in effect, vehicles deemed unfit will be barred from Nigerian roads and prevented from entering the country.

As part of the rollout, the NADDC is working with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to introduce a Vehicle Evaluation and Certification Programme (VECAP). This will extend quality checks to used vehicle imports, which currently escape the conformity assessments applied to new vehicles and assembly kits.

Beyond safety and environmental goals, Osanipin noted that the policy aligns with the government’s broader strategy to revitalize local vehicle assembly operations.

However, industry experts have raised concerns about the policy’s potential socioeconomic impact. Dr. Emmanuel Mogaji, an automobile analyst and Associate Professor in Marketing at Keele University, UK, urged the government to build trust and ensure inclusive implementation. He warned that without proper stakeholder coordination, particularly with informal transport operators, the policy could exacerbate transport inequality, encourage illegal dumping, or lead to cross-border vehicle leakage.

Similarly, Adeyemi Adekanbi, Managing Director of Hundred Success Nigeria Limited, cautioned that premature implementation could deepen economic strain, disrupt livelihoods, and increase transportation costs. He highlighted that many Nigerians rely on older vehicles due to financial necessity, driven by high exchange rates, import duties, and logistics expenses.

Adekanbi recommended adopting a “year of manufacturing” standard for imports instead of the ELV approach, emphasizing that age restrictions already exist but require stronger enforcement. “This policy may work in developed economies with affordable new vehicles and functional public transport, but that is not the case in Nigeria,” he remarked.

Both stakeholders stressed that successful implementation must balance regulation with incentives, affordable alternatives, and inclusive planning to avoid adverse effects on the public and the economy.