The National Automotive Design and Development Council is set to ramp up vehicle testing capacity across states as part of a broader strategy to improve data collection and monitor vehicles nationwide.
Disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH, Director-General of NADDC, Joseph Osanipin, emphasised that the agency would begin enforcing vehicle standards before they enter Nigeria.
“We will start enforcing standards on vehicles coming into Nigeria before they enter the country,” Osanipin said.
According to him, the agency is working with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and experts licensed by the International Standard Organisation to ensure that only vehicles that meet minimum quality standards are allowed in.
“Most countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa, do not allow the importation of used vehicles without passing quality tests. By enforcing similar standards in Nigeria, we will prevent the influx of vehicles nearing their end of life,” NADDC’s DG affirmed.
Osanipin shared an example of a used Prado SUV inspected at a test facility. While it appeared new on the surface, a closer examination revealed severe structural damage.
“That vehicle can never pass the test again in its lifetime because the damage is beyond repair. If you remove the entire body, it is no longer a Toyota product but the work of whoever fixes it, with no guarantee of efficiency and safety,” he stressed.
NADDC is also collaborating with state transport ministries to expand testing centres nationwide.
Osanipin noted that Ondo State conducted 70,000 vehicle tests last year, while Lagos carried out about 350,000 tests. However, he stressed that Lagos alone requires two to three million tests annually to ensure roadworthiness.
“We need to make these tests mandatory for every vehicle before issuing a roadworthiness certificate. The tests will determine whether a vehicle needs minor repairs or has reached the end of its life,” he stated.
He added that vehicles deemed unfit for the road would not simply be discarded but repurposed through recycling.
“Parts that can be sold will be sold, and those that can be recycled will be recycled,” Osanipin added.
NADDC’s DG stressed the need for stricter enforcement, noting that road safety agencies must verify the authenticity of roadworthiness certificates.
“If certificates are found to be fake, appropriate actions will be taken. Producing fake documents for the police or vehicle inspection officers is a fraud, and we need to start implementing existing laws to curb this,” he said.
To monitor vehicles already in the country, NADDC is working with the Vehicle Registration System at the ports to ensure that no vehicle is cleared without a VREG certificate.
“By blocking substandard vehicles from the source, foreign exporters will have to comply with our regulations before shipping vehicles to Nigeria,” Osanipin remarked.
On tracking unroadworthy vehicles, he said state testing centres would play a key role.
“For instance, in Ondo State, every tested vehicle has a record in the system, including defects that need to be fixed within 30 days before retesting. Vehicles that fail and receive a non-compliance certificate cannot be used on Nigerian roads,” he asserted.
He warned that any non-compliant vehicle found on the road would be impounded.
“This is why we need road safety officers, the police, and VIOs to enforce these regulations and remove unfit vehicles from our roads,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Tesser Ugbor, told The PUNCH that research was important in enforcing end-of-life vehicle regulations.
“NADDC must conduct extensive research to determine the number of abandoned and scrapped vehicles, their value, and how they contribute to GDP and industrial development,” Ugbor said.
The lawmaker highlighted that in developed countries, recycled metals from ELVs contribute significantly to the steel and vehicle manufacturing industries.
“Nigeria must adopt this model, ensuring that our metal and steel industries benefit from vehicle recycling,” he added.
Ugbor noted that a formal framework for ELV management would improve data collection, providing statistics on vehicle imports, exports, accident rates, and abandonment levels.
“Previously, there was no structured data collection, but this regulation brings together key agencies, including the police, VIOs, road safety, and the transport ministry, to ensure accurate data for stakeholders,” he explained.
Further, an environmental scientist and the lead consultant of C-Circle Research, Dr. Chimere Ohajinwa, explained the role of research in shaping policy decisions.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Ohajinwa affirmed there were challenges in obtaining vehicle-related data from her experience conducting research for NADDC.
“Before my research, there was no proper data on ELVs. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) only provided published reports, often outdated. Agencies collect data only when there is demand,” Ohajinwa noted.
She explained that a new framework would ensure better synergy among agencies. “Currently, data from road safety differs from customs and the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria. But with this framework, NBS can consolidate all data sources into a single, reliable national dataset,” Ohajinwa stated.
She expressed hope for continued collaboration with NADDC, particularly on Extended Producer Responsibility, which would hold manufacturers accountable for vehicle waste.
“Car companies must take responsibility for the waste their products generate in Nigeria, just as it is done in other countries,” she said.
The NADDC’s initiatives, if fully implemented, are expected to improve road safety, reduce environmental hazards, and create economic opportunities through vehicle recycling and data-driven regulation.
