Minister of State for Business, Senator John Enoh, Tuesday, declared that going ahead, no automobile or associated merchandise will probably be imported or cleared into the nation with out correct certification.
Enoh stated non-compliant imports will probably be topic to sanctions, together with denial of clearance.
He spoke on the opening of the Ministries, Departments and Companies Stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop with the Federal Ministry of Business, Commerce and Funding on the SON-NADDC Automobile Conformity Evaluation Programme (SON-NADDCVehCAP) in Abuja.
Enoh, whereas unveiling the SON-NADDCVehCAP certification brand, stated, “Let me be clear: this isn’t merely a proposal. It’s authorities coverage. This can be a agency directive aimed toward guaranteeing requirements and defending customers.”
Primarily, VehCAP is a unified regulatory framework that provides authoritative steerage on automobile and part security requirements, and acts as a pre-shipment verification scheme, regulating the importation of autos and auto elements into the nation.
It seeks to handle points round merchandise’ high quality and security, amongst others.
The minister stated, “This initiative isn’t just about regulation—it’s about security, {economic} coverage, and technological development. The alignment of fiscal devices will probably be essential to its success. We should see this as a collective accountability.
“Too usually, authorities actions are misunderstood or resisted on account of lack of readability. It is crucial that stakeholders totally perceive the aim and advantages of this programme.
“At its core, that is about defending lives. Many highway accidents in our nation are brought on by substandard and non-compliant autos.
“This programme seeks to handle that. It is usually about enhancing information, strengthening establishments, and guaranteeing accountability.”
Director-Basic, Nationwide Automotive Design and Improvement Council (NADDC), Mr. Oluwemimo Osanipin, stated the initiative was not simply one other regulatory intervention however a “needed shift in how autos enter, function, and finally influence our nation”.
Osanipin stated, “Nigeria as we speak operates one of many largest automotive markets in Africa. Nevertheless, the construction of that market presents a severe concern.
“A big proportion of autos imported into Nigeria-particularly used vehicles-enter with out satisfactory verification of structural integrity, security situation, emissions efficiency, and lifecycle historical past.
“The results are evident: autos of unsure situation are launched into lively highway use; mechanical failures contribute to accident severity; substandard parts flow into throughout the system, and our native automotive trade is positioned at a drawback. That is the truth we should confront and decisively deal with.”
Osanipin identified that whereas the SONCAP regime, applied by Requirements Organisation of Nigeria (SON), had considerably improved the standard of imported merchandise throughout a number of sectors, “We collectively (NADDC & SON) acknowledged that the automotive sector requires a extra specialisedapproach. Autos are usually not static products-they are complicated, high-risk programs. Their security relies upon not solely on how they had been manufactured, but additionally on how they’ve been used, maintained, and uncovered over time.”
He added, “That is the place VehCAP turns into essential; the SON-NADDC Automobile Conformity Evaluation Programme introduces a extra focused, sector-specific framework by guaranteeing that autos are assessed earlier than cargo; compliance is verified in opposition to automotive-specific requirements; certification turns into a compulsory situation for entry into Nigeria.
“In easy phrases, VehCAP shifts our system from examine after arrival to confirm earlier than entry. As a result of as soon as a substandard automobile enters the nation, the price of control-both {economic} and human-becomes considerably larger.”
Osanipin stated the workshop, with the theme, “Licensed Vehicle Merchandise: Safer Nigerian Roads,” aimed to sensitise MDAs to grasp the VehCAPframework, align their procurement processes accordingly, and assist implementation by way of coordinated institutional motion, amongst others.
Director-Basic/Chief Government, SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, stated the initiative marked a major step in strengthening regulatory oversight inside Nigeria’s automotive sector.
Okeke said that the transfer mirrored a deliberate shift in direction of a extra structured, preventive, and standards-driven method to addressing long-standing considerations related to the standard and security of autos and automotive parts in our market.
Okeke stated, “Over time, the influence of substandard and non-compliant merchandise has prolonged past technical deficiencies to broader implications for highway security, shopper safety, and public confidence.
“These challenges underscore the necessity for a system that not solely responds to infractions, however proactively ensures that solely merchandise assembly established necessities are allowed into circulation.”
He stated, “VehCAP has due to this fact been conceived as a collaborative framework between the Requirements Organisation of Nigeria and the Nationwide Automotive Design and Improvement Council, bringing collectively complementary regulatory mandates to ship a extra coordinated and efficient method to automotive conformity evaluation.”
James Emejo
Times Nigeria