The Nigerian Senate has passed the second reading of a bill mandating Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to procure only locally manufactured vehicles.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, referred the bill to the Committee on Public Procurement, with a four-week deadline.
Proposed by Senator Patrick Ndubueze (Imo North), the bill seeks to ensure that at least 75 per cent of official vehicles are made—not just assembled—in Nigeria. Ndubueze decried the country’s reliance on imports, saying, “We have failed to institutionalise the use of indigenous products.”
He warned that automakers are setting up plants in Ghana to export to Nigeria, threatening local industry. Senate Chief Whip Tahir Mongunu backed the bill, saying it would “insulate the directive from the whims and caprices of subsequent administrations.” Jibrin added, “If we can achieve this, it will help our economy and encourage more investors.”