NADDC automates auto assemblers’ licences with new portal

The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has launched the National Automotive Repository Portal (NARP), a digital platform that automates licensing, compliance and regulatory processes for vehicle assemblers as part of efforts to accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s automotive industry.

The portal, unveiled on Wednesday in Lagos, is expected to streamline the licensing process for auto assemblers, provide real-time industry data and strengthen regulatory oversight under the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP 2023–2033).

Speaking at the launch, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NADDC, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, described NARP as the digital backbone of Nigeria’s automotive ecosystem, saying it would eliminate cumbersome manual procedures and improve the ease of doing business for industry players.

According to him, the council developed the platform in recognition of the critical role accurate and timely data plays in industrial development and policy formulation.

Daily Trust reports that the automotive industry has battled data integrity as stakeholders are oblivious of the actual number of vehicles produced locally.

“NARP is far more than an online portal or a repository database; it is the infrastructure designed to drive critical development vectors for our country,” Osanipin, represented by Head of Policy, Planning and Statistics department of the Council, Mr. Nura Sidi, said.

He explained that the platform digitises and shortens the corporate licensing process for local vehicle assemblers, eliminating costly delays associated with manual applications while creating a more agile environment for local engineering, manufacturing and supply chain development.

Beyond licensing, Osanipin said the repository provides real-time information on domestic vehicle supply, assembly plant capacities and pricing trends, enabling the government to formulate policies based on reliable market intelligence and creating a more attractive environment for foreign direct investment.

He added that the portal establishes an automated digital infrastructure linking relevant regulatory agencies to verify vehicle technical specifications, validate genuine locally assembled components and curb the influx of substandard imported vehicles into the country.

According to the NADDC boss, a number of local assemblers have already been onboarded onto the platform, demonstrating the private sector’s readiness to embrace digital transformation.

“With NARP now fully live, registration is moving directly into a rule-based compliance status. Let us utilise this platform to build an inclusive, standard-driven and highly competitive domestic automotive market that Nigeria can be proud of,” he said.

Earlier, the Head of Department, Policy, Planning and Statistics at NADDC said the repository was developed to address longstanding challenges associated with fragmented industry data, manual compliance processes and inefficient regulatory procedures.

He explained that the platform serves as the official centralised compliance engine for Nigeria’s automotive sector by automating assembler licensing, factory site evaluations and technical inspections while maintaining a secure digital record of every vehicle through its unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

On their part, the indigenous automotive manufacturers under the aegis of the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers’ Association (NAMA) endorsed the new portal, saying it would enhance data transparency in the industry.

Executive Director/CEO of the association, Dr. Harpreet Singh also said Nigeria is ready to attract original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to invest in Nigeria instead of turning the country into a dumping ground for imported vehicles.

He said local manufacturing would create jobs and drive industrialisation of Nigeria, adding, “This portal comes at a very critical juncture which would give us an absolute transparency of who is who in the industry and remove the noise from the reality. It will also keep the scorecard of every assembler in the industry.”

“NAMA, being the voice of every assembler and manufacturer in the country, truly stands behind this laudable initiative and we fully support it in ensuring that it achieves the era of self-sufficiency…,” he added.

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