The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) on Thursday commissioned its Automotive Training Centre in Potiskum, Yobe State, as part of measures to deepen skills development and strengthen Nigeria’s automotive industry.
The commissioning ceremony also featured the conclusion of a five-day intensive mechatronics training programme on the repair and maintenance of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tricycles and motorcycles.
The training was organised in collaboration with Simba Group Nigeria.
The Honourable Minister of State for Industry, John Owan Enoh, described the new facility as a symbol of hope and self-reliance for young Nigerians.
He said the centre is designed to equip youths with industry-relevant skills needed to compete in a rapidly evolving global automotive ecosystem.
Enoh emphasised the strategic importance of the automotive industry as a catalyst for industrialisation and economic diversification, aligning with the targets of the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP), which seeks to boost local vehicle production, increase local content, promote electric vehicle adoption, and create up to one million jobs.
In his remarks, His Eminence Emma Eneukwu reiterated that the initiative reflects NADDC’s pivotal role in creating an enabling environment for the automotive industry through collaboration among government, industry and academia. He added that the NADDC Governing Board remains committed to maintaining global standards through continuous equipment upgrades, curriculum alignment with international best practices and industry-driven training outcomes.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NADDC, Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, stated that the newly commissioned centre—equipped with state-of-the-art facilities—is part of NADDC’s nationwide network of 23 Automotive Training Centres established to promote skills development, youth employment and sustainable growth within Nigeria’s automotive sector.
Osanipin noted that the project aligns with the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) 2023 and supports the Federal Government’s drive for local manufacturing, job creation and cleaner energy transition through CNG vehicle adoption under the Presidential CNG Initiative.
The training programme equipped youths and auto-technicians drawn from across Yobe State with both practical and theoretical skills required to service modern PMS- and CNG-powered vehicles, positioning the Potiskum centre as a critical hub for human capacity development in the North-East.
NADDC acknowledged the support of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Yobe State Government under Governor Mai Mala Buni, and other key stakeholders. The Council reaffirmed its commitment to building a globally competitive and sustainable Nigerian automotive industry.
The commissioning of the Potiskum Automotive Training Centre represents a major launchpad for youth empowerment, technical capacity development and the strengthening of Nigeria’s automotive value chain, while advancing the nation’s broader industrialisation and sustainable development goals.
