An industrial and automotive-quality expert, Love Adewale, has called on the Federal Government to revive Nigeria’s dormant vehicle parts manufacturing companies, warning that the collapse of the component’s subsector is weakening the country’s automotive value chain.
Adewale, a quality engineer with Magna International in the United States, said Nigeria must rebuild its components manufacturing base if it intends to reduce dependence on imported parts and make local assembly viable.
He stated this during a recent interview, noting that the surge in imported used vehicles recorded in 2023 was a direct result of the country’s weak manufacturing foundation.
“No auto industry grows on assembly alone; if tyres, batteries, electrical harnesses, foams, metal parts and other components are all imported, local assemblers will never be competitive. Reviving component factories is the starting point,” he said.
Adewale, who holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is also a fellow of the National Institute of Professional Engineers and Scientists, explained that his experience in global automotive production has shown that strong parts manufacturers are the backbone of every successful auto industry.
At Magna, he leads quality assurance activities and oversees the full Production Part Approval Process using AIAG guidelines; manages change-control processes under GM’s SQMS standards; and conducts layered audits across assembly lines.
The expert, a recipient of national recognition for outstanding contributions to research and innovation, attributed Nigeria’s inability to manufacture core components to a lack of policy consistency and investment, forcing local assemblers to rely on expensive foreign suppliers and raising the cost of made-in-Nigeria vehicles.
According to him, many of the factories that once produced tyres, batteries, metal fittings and electrical parts have either closed down or operate below capacity. “The know-how exists; Nigeria has engineers, technicians and industry capacity. What is missing is policy consistency and investment to bring dormant factories back to life,” he added.
Adewale, who is a member of the Automotive Industry Action Group, Society of Automotive Engineers, American Society for Quality, and other professional bodies, said Nigeria must prioritise industrial standards and incentivise investors to re-enter the component market. He noted that locally sourcing even 30 to 40 per cent of parts could significantly cut production costs and lower the prices of made-in-Nigeria vehicles.
He said, “The auto industry is a chain. Without component manufacturers, assemblers will continue to struggle, and the country will remain dependent on expensive imports. Reviving parts factories is not optional; it is the foundation on which every serious auto industry is built.”
He urged the government to offer policy stability, modernise industrial infrastructure, and restrict the inflow of substandard used components that undermine local manufacturers.
