The Federal Government on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping regulatory regime that will bar all imported vehicles from entering Nigeria without prior certification, in a move aimed at improving road safety and curbing the influx of substandard automobiles.
The policy, tagged the Standard Organisation of Nigeria–National Automotive Design and Development Council Vehicle Conformity Assessment Programme, introduces a strict “no certification, no entry” rule for all new and used vehicles entering the country.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop in Abuja, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Enoh, said the programme is now a full government policy and not a pilot scheme.
“I want to clarify again that this is not a proposal or a pilot. This has become government policy and takes immediate effect upon commencement,” he said.
According to him, under the new regime, all vehicles must obtain pre-shipment certification before they can be processed for importation into Nigeria.
“So the endorsement integrates vehicle safety into Nigeria’s economic policy framework. It aligns fiscal instruments, foreign exchange import financing, and revenue systems with safety and standards objectives. It also strengthens the long-standing work of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria and NADDC within a coordinated whole-of-government approach. And I think that with effect from the commencement of this SON-NADDC VehCAP, all new and used vehicles and automotive products entering Nigeria must obtain pre-shipment certification on that VehCAP before form M approval, before customs valuation, before power processing, before import clearance, and before market entry,” he stated.
Enoh stressed that any vehicle that fails to meet the requirements would be denied entry into the country.
“No vehicle or automotive product shall be imported, cleared, registered, or licensed without valid certification. Any non-compliant import shall be subject to refusal of clearance, seizure, or sanctions under applicable laws,” he added.
The minister, however, acknowledged concerns around calls to ban used vehicles, popularly known as “Tokunbo,” urging a balanced approach. “I think that without taking an extreme position, we must find a middle ground. There are economic challenges, there is purchasing power, and there is also the capacity of local assemblers to meet demand.
“But at the very minimum, if we adhere strictly to existing regulations, such as limits on the age of imported vehicles, our problem will not be nearly as bad as it is,” he said.
He described the programme as a response to rising road accidents linked to substandard vehicles.
“We did not arrive here by accident. Too many Nigerians have died from accidents caused by vehicles that fell short of required standards. Nigeria deserves better, and this government is determined to deliver better,” he added.
Enoh said the implementation of the programme would involve multiple agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Nigerian Ports Authority.
