By Progress Godfrey

ABUJA—The Federal Government has launched a new vehicle conformity regime aimed at eliminating unsafe and substandard automobile imports, declaring that no vehicle will be allowed into Nigeria without certification under the SON–NADDC Vehicle Conformity Assessment Programme (VehCAP).

The initiative was unveiled at a stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop organised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh said the programme represents a shift from fragmented regulation to a coordinated, whole-of-government approach that integrates safety into economic policy and import control systems.

He noted that while calls to ban used vehicles have persisted, government is instead pursuing a balanced policy that considers Nigerians’ purchasing power alongside the need to enforce standards and support local automotive development.

He said: “All new and used vehicles and automotive products entering Nigeria must obtain pre-shipment certification on VehCAP before approval, customs valuation, power processing, import clearance, and before market entry. It is important that getting the SON-NADDC VehCAP certification takes precedence before the various other issues are looked into.

“No vehicle or automotive product shall be imported, cleared, or shall be registered or licensed without valid VehCAP certification. And any non-compliant import shall be subject to refusal of clearance, seizure or sanctions under applicable laws. I mean, this is not a proposal or a pilot. This has become government policy and takes immediate effect upon commencement.”

The minister stressed that the policy would be enforced across agencies including Customs, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke described VehCAP as a major step in strengthening regulatory oversight in the automotive sector through a preventive and standards-driven system.

He said: “VehCAP has therefore been conceived as a collaborative framework between the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the National Automotive Design and Development Council, bringing together complementary regulatory mandates to deliver a more coordinated and effective approach to automotive conformity assessment.”

He added that the programme would promote compliance, support legitimate trade, and improve consumer confidence while creating a more predictable operating environment for industry players.

On his part, the Director-General of NADDC Otunba Joseph Osanipin said the programme addresses longstanding gaps in vehicle import verification, particularly around safety, structural integrity and emissions.

He noted that a large proportion of vehicles entering Nigeria lack proper assessment, contributing to road accidents, mechanical failures and the circulation of substandard components.

“VehCAP shifts our system from ‘Inspect after arrival’ to ‘Verify before entry.’ Because once a substandard vehicle enters the country, the cost of control both economic and human becomes significantly higher,” he stated.