Senate Committee on Industry to Fast-Track Auto Bill 2026

The Senate Committee on Industry has announced its intention to accelerate the passage of the proposed National Automotive Industry Bill 2026, aimed at protecting vehicle manufacturers and advancing Nigeria's automotive industry. This announcement followed an oversight visit to key automotive facilities in Kano and Kaduna, conducted in collaboration with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC).

The committee inspected various facilities, including the NADDC Automotive Training/CNG Conversion Centre in Kano and PAN Nigeria Ltd and D-PAN in Kaduna, to evaluate their operational capacities and identify challenges in large-scale automotive production. Senator Francis Fadahunsi, the committee chairman, expressed satisfaction with the facilities' operational status but stressed the need for ongoing maintenance and stronger government support.

He advocated for policies to encourage local production, including restrictions on the importation of foreign-used vehicles. The Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, noted the significance of the visit in relation to the Federal Government’s “Nigeria First Policy.”.