The House of Representatives has resolved to push for stricter and more comprehensive regulation of the importation of electric and Compressed Natural Gas vehicles into the country, insisting that companies engaged in the business must be compelled to provide adequate maintenance, servicing and after-sales support infrastructure for Nigerian consumers who patronise them.
The decision of the Green Chamber followed the consideration and unanimous adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Honourable Ademorin Kuye, during plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.
Honourable Kuye, in his lead debate, drew the attention of his colleagues to the recent policy direction of the Federal Government which introduced a series of incentives to encourage Nigerians to embrace cleaner energy and alternative fuel vehicles, particularly electric vehicles and Compressed Natural Gas powered vehicles, as part of measures to mitigate climate change and cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
He explained that the Federal Government, in its determination to accelerate energy transition in the transport sector, had approved zero import duty and Value Added Tax waivers for electric vehicles, CNG vehicles and their components, a policy which has led to a surge in the number of companies importing such vehicles into Nigeria in recent months.
The lawmaker, however, expressed worry that while the incentive is laudable and aligns with global best practices, the importation is happening without a corresponding regulatory framework to ensure that consumers are protected and that the vehicles meet minimum safety and quality standards required for Nigerian roads and environmental conditions.
According to him, investigations and feedback from consumers have shown that many of the companies importing electric and CNG vehicles do not have functional service centres, trained technicians or access to genuine spare parts, thereby leaving buyers to suffer untold hardship when the vehicles break down.
He further lamented that electric and CNG vehicles are technologically advanced and require specialised diagnostic equipment, high-voltage handling expertise and specific safety protocols, which are currently lacking in most automobile workshops across the country, making their maintenance a major challenge for ordinary mechanics.
Kuye pointed out that the situation is made worse by the fact that some importers deliberately refuse to honour warranty agreements entered into with buyers, abandoning them to source for expensive repairs barely weeks or months after purchase, contrary to consumer protection laws and international best practices.
He argued that if the trend is allowed to continue unchecked, it would not only lead to huge financial losses for consumers but could also result in serious safety hazards, including fire outbreaks, gas leakages and road accidents, as well as erode public confidence in the government’s clean energy campaign.
The lawmaker stressed that the purpose of his motion was not to discourage the importation of electric and CNG vehicles, but to ensure that the process is properly regulated in a way that guarantees value for money, safety of lives and property, and long-term sustainability of the initiative.
Contributing to the debate, several lawmakers agreed with the position of Honourable Kuye, noting that Nigeria has in the past suffered from being a dumping ground for substandard and obsolete vehicles, and should not allow history to repeat itself in the era of electric and CNG vehicles.
They observed that without regulation, unscrupulous businessmen could take advantage of government incentives to import vehicles that are not suitable for Nigerian terrain, have short battery lifespan, or lack adequate safety features, thereby putting consumers at risk and wasting scarce foreign exchange.
Following robust deliberations, the House resolved that importers of electric and CNG vehicles must be mandated as a matter of compulsory requirement to establish certified maintenance and service centres in at least the six geo-political zones of the country before they are granted licence to import.
The House also proposed that such importers must provide verifiable evidence of capacity to ensure steady availability and supply of genuine spare parts, including batteries, charging systems, CNG cylinders and other critical components, for a minimum period of five years after importation.
In addition, the lawmakers agreed that importers must be compelled to honour all warranty agreements and provide clear, written and enforceable warranty terms to buyers, stating explicitly the duration, coverage, and procedure for warranty claims and replacement.
The House further recommended that importers should be mandated to invest in training and certification of Nigerian technicians and engineers in the specialised field of electric and CNG vehicle maintenance, as a way of promoting technology transfer, local capacity development and job creation for the nation’s teeming youths.
To ensure effective implementation, the House called on the National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, as the apex regulatory body for the automotive industry, to develop and publish comprehensive technical standards, operational guidelines and approval requirements for the importation, assembly and use of electric and CNG vehicles.
It also urged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, to collaborate closely with the NADDC to enforce strict quality control, safety and environmental standards, and to ensure that all imported electric and CNG vehicles undergo mandatory inspection and certification before being released into the Nigerian market.
Similarly, the House called on the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to enforce the new guidelines at all ports, borders and entry points, by ensuring that only vehicles that have met the prescribed standards and obtained necessary approvals from NADDC and SON are allowed to be cleared and documented.
The House emphasised that the collaboration between NADDC, SON, Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant agencies such as the Consumer Protection Council and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency has become imperative to protect consumers from exploitation and to encourage genuine investors.
It noted that a well-structured and properly regulated electric and CNG vehicle ecosystem has the potential to stimulate local assembly and manufacturing, reduce Nigeria’s overdependence on petrol, create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and position the country as a leading hub for green mobility in Africa.
The lawmakers further directed its Committees on Industry, Environment, Commerce, Customs and Excise, and Automotive Industry to interface with the relevant regulatory agencies, stakeholders and importers, and report back to the House within four weeks with a detailed legislative and regulatory framework for consideration.
In his ruling, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, described the motion as timely, patriotic and people-oriented, noting that it seeks to protect Nigerians while supporting the government’s energy transition agenda.
The Speaker then directed the Clerk of the House to transmit the resolutions of the House to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the NADDC, SON, Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant agencies for immediate compliance and action.
