All set for NAISU 2025 as policymakers, players gear up to shape future of Nigeria’s auto sector

Excitement is mounting across Nigeria’s automotive landscape as the second edition of the Nigeria Auto Industry Summit (NAISU) prepares to convene on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.

The summit is expected to serve as a high-level convergence of top policymakers, regulators, manufacturers, and industry stakeholders aimed at charting a sustainable path forward for the nation’s automotive sector.

Jointly organised by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), NAISU has quickly emerged as a premier platform for engaging key decision-makers on issues critical to the sector’s future.

With the theme, “Nigeria First: Content as Catalyst for Automotive Economy,” the 2025 summit seeks to amplify local content development, encourage domestic manufacturing, and confront regulatory bottlenecks in the sector head-on.

This year’s edition will feature robust participation from strategic government agencies including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The presence of these regulators signals a strong commitment to resolving longstanding policy and infrastructural constraints plaguing the industry.

The summit will be declared open by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, who is billed to serve as Special Guest of Honour.

The Director-General of NADDC, Mr. Joseph Osanipin, will deliver the keynote address, highlighting the government’s strategic roadmap toward sustainable mobility, local assembly expansion, and the integration of alternative fuel technologies.

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Speaking ahead of the summit, NAJA Chairman, Mr. Theodore Opara, stressed that NAISU 2025 aims to deliver more than rhetoric.

“The second NAISU comes at a critical moment for Nigeria’s auto industry,” Opara stated. “We face urgent issues such as inconsistent import policies, low local content adoption, and a sluggish transition to cleaner energy like electric mobility. This summit will focus on solutions, not just discussions.”

Mike Ochonma, Chairman of the NAISU 2025 Planning Committee, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the summit would build on the solid foundation laid in the inaugural edition held in 2024.

“NAISU has grown into the definitive platform for strategy and policy alignment within Nigeria’s automotive space,” Ochonma said. “The 2025 edition will be even more engaging, solution-driven, and forward-looking — targeting real implementation outcomes.”

He added that this year’s summit would welcome a wide range of participants from automakers and local assemblers, fleet operators, fintech and logistics firms, and mobility innovators, all of whom are integral to a holistic approach to sector reform.

NAISU 2025 will also feature a major automotive exhibition, showcasing the latest innovations across the Nigerian auto industry. Participants can expect to see new vehicle models, electric and hybrid prototypes, cutting-edge mobility technologies, and locally fabricated components designed for Nigeria’s challenging road conditions.

Prominent automotive companies set to participate include Toyota (Nigeria) Limited, Elizade, Nord Automobiles, Coscharis Motors, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM), Weststar Associates, and Iron Products Industries (IPI) — reflecting growing private sector engagement in driving industrial capacity.

As Nigeria intensifies efforts to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on imports, the auto industry is increasingly seen as a strategic lever for job creation, technology transfer, and sustainable industrial growth.