By James Akinlade
ABUJA — The National Automotive Design and Development Council and the Bureau of Public Procurement have signed a new framework aimed at enforcing the Federal Government’s directive on the patronage of locally assembled vehicles by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The agreement, signed on Friday in Abuja, provides guidelines requiring MDAs to prioritise Nigeria-assembled vehicles in all procurement activities as part of efforts to strengthen local manufacturing and support national economic growth.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Director-General of NADDC, Joseph Osanipin, said the initiative would help create jobs, stimulate investments and retain economic value within the country.
“For too long, our nation has been a consumer of foreign-made automotive products, a trend that has limited our economic potential and hindered the growth of our local assemblers. Today, under the guidance of the Nigeria First Policy, we are fundamentally shifting that paradigm,” he said.
Osanipin explained that the framework goes beyond procurement reforms and is designed to rebuild Nigeria’s automotive ecosystem through increased investment in assembly plants, technical skills development and supply chain expansion.
“Every vehicle procured locally creates jobs for Nigerians and ensures that the wealth generated through public expenditure remains within our economy,” he added.
The council stated that implementation of the framework would be guided by strict compliance measures, including Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) verification and the maintenance of a register of approved local assemblers to ensure quality standards.
On his part, Director-General of the BPP, Adebowale Adedokun, described the directive as a major shift in Nigeria’s public procurement system.
He said government spending must now directly support local production, industrialisation and employment generation across MDAs.
“We are aligning procurement with national development priorities. Government spending must now directly contribute to industrial growth and measurable national benefit,” Adedokun said.
According to him, the framework introduces stricter compliance procedures covering procurement planning, bidding, evaluation and contract management, with sanctions for violations.
He warned that any procurement carried out outside the approved framework or involving misrepresentation would attract penalties under existing financial regulations.
“Public expenditure must now actively support local production, industrial growth and job creation,” he added.
The BPP also said it would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the policy, improve transparency and curb procurement abuses across government institutions.
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