…as Reps Spokesperson say media must raise Its Game on Complex Policy, to deepen professionalism in parliamentary reporting
By Gloria Ikibah
Nigeria’s automotive ambitions will stall unless policy promises are written into law. 
That was the blunt message from Otunba Joseph Osanipin, Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), who said investors will continue to tread carefully until the country’s automotive framework is given firm legislative backing.
Speaking in Abuja at a capacity-building workshop for the House of Representatives Press Corps, Osanipin made it clear that policy alone is not enough.
“The Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan provides direction for the sector, but long-term industrial growth requires legal certainty”, he said.
The workshop, organised by the NADDC in collaboration with the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, focused on strengthening policy communication and legislative reporting on the development of Nigeria’s automotive industry.
Osanipin warned that manufacturers considering large-scale investment in vehicle assembly and component production will not commit billions without guarantees.
Describing the automotive sector as one of the most capital-intensive industries in the world, he stressed that stability and consistency are non-negotiable.
“Manufacturers considering large-scale investment in vehicle assembly and component production need assurance that policy incentives will endure beyond administrative cycles.
“The automotive industry is one of the most capital-intensive sectors globally, requiring sustained policy consistency before investors commit resources,” he noted.
According to him, giving the industry legislative backing would provide the stability required to deepen local production and fast-track industrialisation.
He disclosed that the Council is preparing further engagements with lawmakers at the National Assembly to strengthen the legal foundation of the automotive development framework.
Osanipin also urged journalists covering the National Assembly and the economy to frame automotive policies within their broader industrial context.
He pointed out that countries around the world routinely deploy protective measures to nurture domestic industries and build technological capability.
“Such policies are aimed at job creation, technology transfer and long-term economic resilience,” he said.
Despite ongoing challenges, Osanipin said Nigeria has recorded measurable gains in local automotive innovation. These include the design and production of tricycles using locally sourced materials and growing capacity in compressed natural gas vehicle assembly.
He revealed that the Council has trained more than 15,000 technicians nationwide to strengthen after-sales services and ensure technical sustainability across the sector.
Nigeria currently spends trillions of naira each year importing vehicles and spare parts — a drain on foreign exchange that the Council hopes to reverse through a localisation drive focused on producing selected components domestically.
“No country manufactures every vehicle component,” Osanipin said, explaining that Nigeria has identified specific parts that can be produced locally and is working with assemblers to scale up capacity.
He further disclosed that global manufacturers — including Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford — have inspected Nigerian facilities and expressed surprise at the level of infrastructure on ground.
According to him, some of the production equipment in Nigeria ranks among the most sophisticated on the continent, yet receives little public attention.
Linking the automotive push to broader economic objectives, Osanipin said the sector holds the key to industrial diversification, foreign exchange conservation and stronger participation in continental trade under Africa’s evolving frameworks.
He expressed confidence that sharper policy communication and more informed legislative reporting would help galvanise public understanding and bolster Nigeria’s drive to expand its automotive footprint across Africa.
In his words, “strengthening the legal backbone of the industry is no longer optional — it is essential”.
Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Akintunde Rotimi, called for greater subject-matter expertise among legislative correspondents, warning that without informed reporting, even the most carefully crafted industrial policies risk being lost on the public.
Rotimi stressed that clear, accurate and context-rich media coverage is vital if government reforms are to translate into meaningful national development.
He described the initiative as part of a deliberate effort by the House to professionalise its parliamentary media space, ensuring that reporting evolves alongside the growing complexity of public policy and legislative business.
The House Spokesperson conveyed the goodwill of the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, as well as members of the 10th Assembly, noting that the programme forms part of wider institutional reforms designed to improve policy communication and strengthen democratic accountability.
According to him, the legislative process does not conclude with the passage of bills or the conduct of oversight. Its true completion, he suggested, lies in public comprehension — when citizens fully grasp the intent, implications and expected outcomes of laws and reforms.
He emphasised the pivotal role of the press corps in bridging that gap, translating legislative priorities, oversight findings and sector-specific frameworks into accessible public knowledge that promotes transparency and builds trust.
Rotimi also revealed that the House has embedded a structured, ongoing capacity development framework for its media teams. The programme, he said, is designed to be progressive, sector-focused and responsive to shifting national priorities, reflecting a recognition that modern legislative reporting demands both depth and agility.
He described the automotive industry training as a continuation of that reform agenda, stressing that the sector sits at the intersection of industrialisation, local content development, job creation, technology transfer and economic diversification.
Rotimi said the focus aligns with the House legislative agenda on economic growth, which prioritises diversification away from oil dependence, investment friendly reforms and sustainable industrial expansion.
He commended the automotive council for providing technical depth and institutional leadership, noting that its work in policy formulation, industry regulation, innovation support and local manufacturing promotion contributes directly to Nigeria’s industrial development objectives.
The chairman said the primary goal of the training was to improve the depth, accuracy and context of parliamentary reporting on the automotive sector while enhancing public confidence in policy initiatives.
He explained that oversight of government agencies includes ensuring that legislative media teams understand sectoral mandates and policy directions, enabling more effective collaboration between institutions and the public.
Rotimi urged participants to engage actively with facilitators, interrogate policy frameworks and build expertise that would strengthen ongoing media engagement with government agencies.
The lawmaker emphasised that institutional support for professional excellence remains a priority for the House, citing recent welfare initiatives including the facilitation of health insurance coverage for members of the press corps.
He encouraged public institutions and private sector partners within the automotive industry to consider supporting journalists through corporate social responsibility initiatives that improve mobility and operational efficiency.
Rotimi commended the automotive council for initiating the engagement and described the partnership as one that would strengthen policy narratives and contribute meaningfully to national development.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the House to initiatives that enhance professional capacity, improve policy communication and support reforms across critical sectors of the economy.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists FCT Council, Grace Ike, called on legislative reporters and media professionals to strengthen policy focused reporting on Nigeria’s automotive industry, saying informed journalism is vital to public understanding, investment attraction and accountability.
Ike described the training as a strategic intervention aimed at equipping journalists to translate complex sectoral policies into accessible public knowledge capable of shaping national development outcomes.
She commended the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akintunde Rotimi, for what she described as consistent efforts to strengthen professional capacity among parliamentary reporters.
According to her, specialised training for journalists covering policy sectors is essential in a country where the automotive industry holds significant potential for job creation, economic diversification and technological advancement.
“Our role as journalists and media aides is to translate complex sectoral policies into stories that resonate with everyday Nigerians,” she said.
She noted that effective communication ensures that legislative initiatives and policy measures supporting automotive development do not remain confined to official documents but instead stimulate public discourse and attract investment.
Ike said the training would enable reporters to improve coverage of legislative and regulatory initiatives, including policy frameworks guiding Nigerian assembly and emerging developments in electric vehicle adoption.
She likened the relationship between policymakers, legislators and the media to a coordinated system necessary for industrial growth, stressing that alignment among stakeholders is critical to building a viable automotive industry.
The NUJ chairman urged participants to utilise the knowledge gained from the programme to deepen investigative reporting, ask more probing policy questions and produce compelling narratives that enhance transparency.
She expressed appreciation to the automotive council and organisers of the programme, describing the engagement as a significant step toward strengthening professional journalism and advancing national development goals.
Ike reaffirmed the commitment of journalists to support informed public discourse and encouraged sustained collaboration between government institutions and the media to accelerate Nigeria’s progress toward automotive self sufficiency.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps, Gboyega Onadiran, called for stronger national commitment to local automotive production, warning that Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported vehicles is deepening economic pressure and undermining industrial growth.
Onadiran described the current moment as a critical turning point for Nigeria’s economy, noting that rising costs in transportation, logistics, food distribution and industrial production have been worsened by exchange rate volatility and heavy reliance on imported vehicles and spare parts.
According to him, local automotive development has moved from a policy aspiration to an economic necessity.
Nigeria, he said, should position itself not merely as a destination for imported vehicles but as a production hub capable of supporting domestic demand and regional markets.
He identified long standing dependence on fully built imports as a major contributor to capital flight, pressure on foreign exchange reserves and weak domestic value chains.
Strengthening local production, he explained, would conserve foreign exchange, expand manufacturing capacity, create employment across technical and engineering fields and stimulate growth in supporting industries such as steel, rubber, plastics, glass and battery production.
“In today’s Nigeria, industrialisation is no longer optional. It is economic survival,” he said.
Onadiran noted that several assembly plants are already operating across the country, citing locally assembled Peugeot models and production partnerships involving global brands as evidence of growing domestic capacity.
He also highlighted the role of indigenous manufacturers such as Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing in producing vehicles tailored to Nigerian conditions.
He said existing installed capacity, supported by the Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan, provides a foundation for deeper local content and sustainable industry expansion.
Beyond policy, he urged Nigerians to consciously patronise vehicles assembled in the country, stressing that consumer choices directly influence industrial growth, job protection and economic stability.
“When we buy locally assembled vehicles, we invest in Nigeria’s industrial future,” he said.
The press corps chairman linked the automotive sector to broader national priorities, including economic diversification away from oil dependence and competitiveness within the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
He noted that while the global automotive industry is transitioning toward electric vehicles and cleaner mobility, Nigeria must first strengthen its industrial base through clear policies, legislative backing and regulatory consistency.
Onadiran emphasised the intersection between legislative action and media responsibility, noting that the House of Representatives plays a central role in enacting industry supporting laws, conducting oversight and ensuring implementation of sectoral policies.
He said policy success depends significantly on public understanding, placing a responsibility on legislative reporters to interpret complex reforms within the broader context of economic realities.
According to him, responsible reporting on tariff structures, local assembly policies and regulatory reforms can strengthen investor confidence, highlight business opportunities and promote accountability.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the press corps to professional, fact based and development oriented journalism, noting that the quality of policy communication can influence the success of national reforms.
Onadiran expressed appreciation to the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akintunde Rotimi, and other stakeholders for supporting the engagement, describing collaboration between regulators, lawmakers and the media as essential to sustainable development.
He said Nigeria stands at an economic crossroads and that success in strategic sectors such as automotive manufacturing would strengthen the country’s long term prosperity.
