The Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, on Thursday, November 20, 2025, delivered a high-level lecture to participants of Course 34 at the National Defence College, Abuja, where he emphasized the pivotal role of industrialization and indigenous technologies in strengthening Nigeria’s economic and national security architecture.
Addressing an audience comprising senior military officers—among them Colonels and their equivalents—senior police officers, and officials from strategic Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Osanipin spoke on the theme “Revitalizing Nigeria’s Industrial Base for National Development: Indigenous Technologies in Focus.”
He noted that global examples of sustainable development consistently show that nations prioritizing mass production, innovation, infrastructure expansion, and robust manufacturing ecosystems tend to achieve long-term growth and stability. Nigeria, he stressed, must follow the same trajectory by consolidating efforts to strengthen its industrial base.
Highlighting the automotive sector as a key driver of economic diversification, technological advancement and job creation, the NADDC boss shared insights from the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).
According to him, the sector has recorded remarkable progress with over 30 registered assemblers, an installed capacity of 423,000 vehicles, and more than $1 billion in investments within an eight-year period.
Osanipin, however, identified critical challenges hindering Nigeria’s industrial growth, including excessive import dependence, financial barriers, weak infrastructure, limited research funding, and a persistent skills gap. He called for stronger cooperation between the defense sector, academia, and industry players to bolster indigenous technological capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign systems.
He also pointed to emerging opportunities such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Nigeria
