The Nigerian Government has unveiled a new vehicle compliance framework aimed at strengthening import controls and boosting road safety, as part of ongoing efforts to remove substandard vehicles from the country’s automotive market.
The announcement was made by the Minister of State for Industry, Mr John Enoh, during the official launch of the SON–NADDC Vehicle Conformity Assessment Programme (VehCAP) in Abuja. He described the initiative as a “major shift in Nigeria’s regulatory and industrial strategy.”
According to Enoh, the programme represents a coordinated government response across multiple institutions. “This is not just another regulatory intervention. It is a necessary shift in how vehicles enter, operate, and ultimately impact our country,” he said.
The minister warned that Nigeria’s automotive sector had long faced risks due to weak import controls. “A significant proportion of vehicles imported into Nigeria particularly used vehicles enter without adequate verification of structural integrity, safety condition, emissions performance, and lifecycle history,” Enoh explained.
VehCAP, developed jointly by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), introduces a stricter pre-shipment verification system to ensure only certified vehicles are allowed into the country.
The NADDC Director-General emphasised the programme’s strategic value, noting, “VehCAP shifts our system from ‘Inspect after arrival’ to ‘Verify before entry.” He highlighted that unchecked vehicle imports had increased road safety risks and created unfair competition within the sector, stressing that the challenge must be “confronted decisively.”
The framework also aims to support industry growth, raise environmental standards, and enhance consumer protection. Government agencies and stakeholders were called upon to ensure coordinated implementation across all relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
In summary, VehCAP establishes stricter requirements for vehicle imports, including mandatory pre-shipment inspections and certification, marking a significant step in Nigeria’s efforts to improve road safety and regulate the automotive market.
