By Progress Godfrey

ABUJA—The Federal Government has launched the National Vehicle Dealership Registration Framework for car dealers, in a decisive move to sanitise Nigeria’s auto market, improve traceability and unlock financing for industry players.

The initiative, unveiled by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in Abuja on Friday, introduces a digital system, mandating all car dealers to register and obtain a certificate renewable annually.

Delivering a keynote address, the Director General of NADDC, Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, said the framework marks a transition from policy design to implementation under the National Automotive Industry Development Plan 2023–2033.

Osanipin explained that the system was developed after consultations with stakeholders across Uyo, Lagos, Kano and Bauchi, where members of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) demanded transparency, fairness and recognition of professional operators over informal players.

He noted that the registration would not only meet regulatory requirements but also position dealers to benefit from credit support, market protection and inclusion in a structured automotive industry.

“This framework is not merely an administrative milestone; it is the day we transition from planning to practice. By registering your dealership, you are doing more than fulfilling a requirement; you are positioning your business to benefit from credit support, market protection and inclusion in a structured automotive ecosystem,” he said.

The DG added that the platform would serve as a digital database that captures dealer identity, vehicle transactions and supply chains, to help authorities track stolen vehicles and protect buyers from fraudulent operators.

He further highlighted that the federal government would only patronise AMDON-certified dealers to support the Nigeria First policy and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Osanipin further stated that registered dealers would be linked with vehicle assemblers to build nationwide partnerships for after-sales services, ensuring consistent maintenance support.

In his remarks, National President of AMDON, Prince Ajibola Adedoyin, said the registration would help address insecurity linked to untraceable vehicles, and improve access to credit for dealers through increased transparency and trust, noting that proper documentation makes financing easier.

Adedoyin encouraged consumers to patronise only certified dealers. He projected that within three to six months, most dealers should be onboarded, after which enforcement would tighten, limiting market access for non-compliant operators.