FG Unveils NADDC Automotive Training Hub in Ikorodu

Sen. John Enoh, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, launched an automotive training centre at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) in Ikorodu, Lagos. 

Speaking at the event, Enoh highlighted that the facility aligns with the government’s strategy to bolster the automotive sector and stimulate economic growth. 

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the initiative aims to foster job creation, enhance skills development, and promote technology transfer within Nigeria’s automotive industry.

He explained that the initiative aligned with the National Automotive Policy, which seeks to promote local vehicle production, achieve 40 per cent local content, and attain 30 per cent production of electric vehicles in the country.

“The policy is also aimed at generating about one million jobs. It has therefore become imperative to invest in infrastructure and human capacity development to meet the targets,” he said.

Enoh disclosed that the federal government had constructed 21 automotive training centres nationwide to ensure fairness and even distribution of national assets across all geopolitical zones.

According to him, the centres are located in Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Kogi, Plateau, Niger, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kano, Ebonyi, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, and Lagos.

He noted that more centres would be established to expand job opportunities, strengthen technology transfer, stimulate economic activities, and reduce social vices among unemployed youths.

The minister commended the management of the host university for providing land for the project.

Enoh also lauded President Bola Tinubu for approving the Automotive Policy, describing it as a critical pillar of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in addressing youth empowerment.

Also speaking, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State described the automotive industry as “the bedrock of industrial development” globally.

He said the centre would equip Lagos youths and technicians with modern knowledge in automotive maintenance and repairs.

According to him, the facility is furnished with state-of-the-art tools and will enable students to train with the same diagnostic equipment, service protocols, and safety systems used in modern workshops and dealerships worldwide.

“This centre will ensure that our citizens not only use these technologies but also understand, maintain, and innovate with them,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu explained that the centre was built on three pillars: providing skills that match industry needs, setting standards that protect the public, and creating opportunities that generate jobs.

He commended the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) for siting the centre in Ikorodu, a location he described as home to industrious youths, artisans, and emerging industrial clusters that would benefit greatly from the project.

NAN