FG bars MDAs from buying vehicles from unregistered suppliers

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) says government agencies must not procure vehicles from suppliers and manufacturers not registered by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC).

The Director-General of BPP, Dr Adebowale Adesanya, made the declaration at a joint news conference organised by the BPP and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in Abuja on Friday, October 9, 2026.

Adesanya gave the warning while explaining measures to enforce the Federal Government’s Nigeria First policy.

He said: “BPP will not give a no objection to any government agency that wants to buy a vehicle from any supplier, manufacturer or importer that has not passed through the specification and requirement of NADDC.

“If they do, it is a criminal offence. It is subject to prosecution.”

Adesanya said NADDC was responsible for registering vehicle manufacturers and maintaining an updated database of approved suppliers, while BPP ensured compliance with procurement requirements.

Adesanya said the policy encouraged partnerships between local firms and foreign manufacturers to strengthen domestic production capacity and promote technology transfer.

“So, what we are doing now is to say partner with the local firm and the foreign to build your own capacity,” he said.

The BPP boss added that the Public Procurement Act 2007 provided preferential treatment for locally manufactured products, even where there prices were slightly higher than imported alternatives.

“The law is saying even if the cost of the locally made, manufactured, is slightly higher than the one that is coming from abroad, we will still give it to the local man,” Adesanya said.

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According to him, the preference will support employment, factory expansion and increased production, helping to offset initial price differences.

Adesanya said the Bank of Industry would also support the automotive sector with financing at lower interest rates.

He said a joint monitoring and evaluation committee had been established to track vehicle procurement by government agencies and identify possible violations.

Adesanya said the Federal Executive Council had directed government agencies to submit monthly and quarterly reports on their procurement activities to BPP.

He added that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were requesting procurement records to monitor compliance.

Also speaking, the Director-General of NADDC, Joseph Osanipin, said Nigeria has sufficient capacity to increase local vehicle production and reduce dependence on imported vehicles.

On the country’s current level of local vehicle production, Odanipin said: “We are doing about less than eight per cent of what we are using in Nigeria.”

He added that the council aimed to increase local production progressively, with a target of meeting 70 per cent of Nigeria’s vehicle requirements.