By Theodore Opara
The Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association, NAMA has advised the Federal Government to complement its 2026 fiscal policy reforms with strong industrial protection measures, warning that tariff liberalisation without adequate safeguards could threaten investments in Nigeria’s automotive manufacturing sector.
In a position paper submitted to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and copied to the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), the association argued that while the new fiscal measures promote trade liberalisation, they do not provide the level of industrial support required to sustain local vehicle assembly and component manufacturing.
The document, signed by NAMA Chairman, Mr. Bawo Omagbitse, and the association’s Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Harpreet Singh, commended the Federal Government’s efforts to stimulate economic growth and align Nigeria’s trade policy with the ECOWAS Common External Tariff and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
NAMA also welcomed initiatives promoting locally manufactured vehicles, the End-of-Life Vehicle Policy and the Vehicle Conformity Assessment Programme. However, it expressed concern that the reduced duty gap between imported fully built vehicles and locally assembled units could weaken the competitiveness of domestic manufacturers.
