The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has launched the National Automotive Repository Portal (NARP), a digital platform designed to strengthen regulation, improve industry data management and enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria’s automotive sector.
Unveiled in Lagos, the portal will serve as a centralised digital repository for the industry, streamlining regulatory processes, improving compliance monitoring and supporting the implementation of the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP 2023–2033).
Speaking at the launch, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, NADDC’s Director-General, represented by Nura Sidi, Council’s Head of Policy, Planning and Statistics, described the platform as the “digital backbone of Nigeria’s automotive ecosystem.”
He said the initiative marks a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to modernise the automotive industry through technology.
Osanipin explained that the portal was developed to tackle the long-standing challenge of fragmented industry data, which has limited effective regulation, policy formulation and investment decisions.
According to him, NARP provides a unified digital infrastructure that delivers real-time industry information, strengthens regulatory oversight and enhances compliance management across the automotive value chain. “The platform will digitalise and streamline corporate licensing processes for vehicle assemblers, eliminate manual delays and provide real-time insights into domestic vehicle assembly capacity, supply trends and market pricing,” he said.
He added that reliable industry data would enable government to formulate evidence-based policies, improve planning, attract foreign direct investment and accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s automotive sector.
The Director-General said the portal establishes an automated digital network linking key government regulatory agencies, enabling authorities to verify vehicle technical information, authenticate genuine assembly components and curb the circulation of substandard automotive products.
He noted that the integration of regulatory institutions would improve transparency, accountability and operational efficiency while creating a more investor-friendly environment.
According to him, several licensed vehicle assembly companies have already been onboarded onto the platform, demonstrating the private sector’s readiness to embrace digital transformation.
Osanipin also commended the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment for providing strategic policy direction and praised local vehicle assemblers for their continued investment in Nigeria’s automotive industry.
Declaring the portal officially operational, Osanipin urged all stakeholders to adopt NARP as the industry’s official compliance platform.
He said the system has been designed to eliminate operational bottlenecks associated with manual processes by digitalising assembler licensing, automating factory inspections, monitoring technical compliance in real time and maintaining secure digital records of registered vehicles through their unique Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs).
Sidi described the platform as more than an administrative tool, saying it represents critical public digital infrastructure that will simplify regulatory procedures, reduce bureaucracy and improve the operating environment for local vehicle manufacturers.
He encouraged industry players to actively participate in the onboarding process and technical demonstrations, describing the launch as the beginning of a new phase of digital transformation for Nigeria’s automotive industry.
