The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), on Thursday proposed higher import tariffs of 100 per cent on Fully Built Units (FBUs), and 125 per cent on used cars.
Mr Farouk Umar, Director, Policy and Planning, NADDC, disclosed this in Abuja at the Stakeholders’ Review on Draft Automotive Policy and Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP), while listing some proposed amendments.
The stakeholders’ dialogue was organised by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, in conjunction with the NADDC to gather stakeholders input for a comprehensive review of the draft bill.
The Draft Automotive Bill was passed by the National Assembly in 2018 and presented to the Presidency for consideration and assent, but was returned to NADDC due to several issues raised by key stakeholders.
In an overview, Umar listed other proposed amendments to the policy and NAIDP to include proper definitions for what constituted Semi Knocked Down (SKD), and Completely Knocked Down (CKD).
In order to boost local content, he said that the NAIDP would include plans to ensure that all licensed assemblies achieved a 20 per cent local content inclusion target within three years from the adoption of the review.
“Failure to comply with the above provision will attract increased tariff as determined by the council. The plan should make all necessary provisions for the bicycle, motorcycle and tricycle assembly to thrive,’’ he said.
Umar said that the policy and plan would be amended to include the positions of all stakeholders that aligned with the NAIDP development objectives.
He said that the NADDC protections list of locally assembled vehicle should be populated with vehicles at CKD level that are able to reach an annual volume of 5,000 units.
He said it included development of a basis for determining local content contribution which would be largely based on value addition and labour fractions, and a system for yearly evaluation of same.
According to him, local assemblers will strengthen local suppliers with regards to qualitative, technological and productive aspects.
He also proposed detailed global analysis of policies and practices of countries with buoyant automotive industry to ascertain the proper balance to ensure change in tariffs from time to time to boost manufacturing sector.
Earlier, NADDC Director-General, Mr Jelani Aliyu, had explained that the draft policy was re-inaugurated in 2013 and a definite plan for implementation,while NAIDP was announced with clear fiscal guidelines and programmes.
The NAIDP, which was to run initially for 10 years with periodic properly phase reviews, has its main objective to bring back vehicle assembly operations and develop local content.
According to him, Nigerians spend N8 billion yearly to bring in vehicles including trucks, buses, pick-up and others.
Aliyu said that the NAIDP 2014-2024 was inaugurated in 2013 to revive vehicle manufacturing in Nigeria with five cardinal points including investment and infrastructural development.
He commended the ministry and relevant stakeholders for their support in reviewing the policy to make it effective, saying that it would be forwarded to the National Assembly.
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