NADDC, Customs, auto CEOs, others move to address industry challenges

Chief executives officers of major auto firms in Nigeria are set to hold a national summit with heads of relevant government agencies and ministries to examine issues adversely affecting the operation of business in the sector.

The event scheduled to hold in Abuja on May 26 is the maiden edition of the annual Auto CEOs Forum being put together by Concerned Auto Editors in conjunction with the National Automotive Design and Development Council.

The forum, according to the organisers, will not only X-ray major issues slowing down the development of the auto industry in the country but proffer workable solutions expected to be jointly executed by these critical stakeholders.

The statement said, “Specifically, the forum would address issues such as the auto policy, local assembly plants and low patronage of locally assembled vehicles, import levies/duties; exchange rate policy as it affects auto business; electric and gas-powered vehicles incentives and challenges and vehicle clearing-related problems.”

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The organisers listed government agencies participating at the forum, apart from the NADDC, as the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service, National Bureau of Statistics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ministry of Finance, terminal operators, and Association of Clearing Agents.

Auto companies whose CEOs are featuring in the maiden edition of the event are Toyota Nigeria Limited, Weststar Associates, Innoson Motor, Pan Nigeria, Lanre Shittu Motors, CFAO, Kia Nigeria, Nord Automobiles, TSS Automobile, Dangote Peugeot Automobile/Sinotruck, Coscharis Motors, CIG Motors, Tata Motors, Jet Motor Company (Jet Systems) and Omaa Motors.

The DG NADDC, Jelani Aliyu, says the agency was excited about the Auto CEOs Forum initiative and expressed the hope that the parley would provide the needed opportunity to resolve those issues that had set the industry back and enable the stakeholders to forge a new relationship for speedy growth of the auto sector in Nigeria.