- FG, Japan Strengthen Oversight of Auto Parts Shipments
- Osanipin warned that any shipment arriving in Nigeria without the required certification would be rejected
- Says the government is implementing stricter regulatory measures to curb the influx of substandard automotive parts
The Federal Government is collaborating with Japanese authorities to regulate the importation of used vehicles and spare parts into Nigeria, the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Joseph Osanipin, has said.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in an interview, Osanipin explained that the partnership with Japan became necessary because a significant proportion of Nigeria’s imported used vehicles and spare parts originate from the East Asian country.
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He noted that the government is implementing stricter regulatory measures to curb the influx of substandard automotive parts. Central to the new approach is the introduction of pre-export certification in source countries, particularly Japan.
According to him, the proposed framework will require mandatory certification of vehicles and parts at the point of origin before shipment to Nigeria. Exporters will only be issued certificates after their products have passed prescribed tests and accreditation processes. The certification documents will form part of the shipping papers.
Osanipin warned that any shipment arriving in Nigeria without the required certification would be rejected.
He said the policy also aims to address the growing concern over end-of-life vehicles that are declared unfit for use in their countries of origin but dismantled and exported as spare parts.
“In countries like Japan, once a vehicle is declared end-of-life, it is considered unfit. Some of these vehicles are dismantled and shipped out, effectively transferring their problem to another country,” he said.
He added that in Japan, vehicle owners pay a recycling or end-of-life fee at registration to cover proper disposal when the vehicle becomes unserviceable. Nigeria, he said, is determined to close loopholes that allow such vehicles or parts to enter its market through stricter documentation and cooperation with foreign authorities.
Osanipin further clarified that informal vehicle assembly operators in Nigeria are not recognised as licensed assemblers, stressing that the council has not granted assembly licences to such entities.
He emphasised the need for inter-agency collaboration, noting that the council is working closely with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and other relevant bodies to strengthen enforcement across the automotive value chain.
Once fully backed by regulation, he said, the new framework will provide the legal basis to clamp down on offenders and prevent illegal shipments from entering the country.
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