FG targets cleaner environment, safer auto recycling and job creation as NADDC outlines full implementation plan
Nigeria will commence the full nationwide implementation of its End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Policy in 2026, a move aimed at improving automotive waste management, reducing environmental pollution and creating employment opportunities across the country.
Details of the rollout are contained in a policy document issued by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), which outlines the federal government’s strategy for regulating the disposal and recycling of old, damaged and decommissioned vehicles.
Under the policy, vehicle manufacturers, importers, owners and recycling operators will be required to comply with new standards governing the collection, dismantling and environmentally safe disposal of end-of-life vehicles.
NADDC: Focus on enforcement, awareness and capacity building
According to NADDC, the 2026 rollout is designed to activate existing ELV and automotive waste recycling regulations across Nigeria and ensure uniform compliance nationwide.
The council said implementation will be driven by extensive public awareness and sensitisation campaigns targeting vehicle owners, mechanics, transport unions and other stakeholders, with emphasis on the environmental, economic and safety benefits of structured vehicle recycling.
In addition, capacity-building programmes will be introduced to train recycling plant operators and auto technicians on standardised, safe and environmentally responsible ELV handling and dismantling practices.
“The implementation of the End-of-Life Vehicle Policy in 2026 will focus on putting the approved ELV and other automotive waste recycling regulations into full operation across Nigeria,” the document stated.
NADDC added that the policy is expected to reduce pollution, improve automotive waste management, generate revenue, create jobs and support the sustainable development of Nigeria’s automotive industry.
Licensing, data systems and pilot recycling plant planned
As part of the rollout, NADDC said it will work with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to license and certify ELV collectors, dismantlers and recycling facilities.
The council also plans to establish a national data management system to track vehicles, recycling plants and trained technicians. The platform will support monitoring, regulatory compliance and long-term sector planning.
In addition, a pilot end-of-life vehicle recycling plant will be developed to test the operational viability, safety standards and efficiency of large-scale vehicle recycling in Nigeria, alongside efforts to promote research and development in the sector.
Surge in vehicle imports heightens urgency
The push for ELV implementation comes amid a sharp rise in vehicle imports, despite high exchange rates and inflationary pressures.
Data show that passenger vehicle imports climbed to ₦527 billion in the third quarter of 2025, more than double the ₦254.6 billion recorded in the first quarter and well above the ₦224.5 billion posted in the second quarter.
As a result, total vehicle imports reached nearly ₦1 trillion in the first nine months of 2025, up from ₦894 billion during the same period in 2024.
Used vehicles accounted for ₦234.7 billion, with imports from the United States alone valued at ₦184 billion, highlighting Nigeria’s heavy dependence on foreign markets such as the US, Dubai and South Africa.
Policy to formalise recycling, curb unroadworthy imports
Earlier, NADDC Director-General Joseph Osanipin said the ELV Policy is intended to formalise Nigeria’s largely informal vehicle recycling market and modernise the automotive sector.
He noted that the programme, approved for implementation from 2026, could generate over ₦150 billion annually, create thousands of jobs and convert abandoned vehicles into economic assets. Studies cited by the council indicate that more than 85 per cent of ELV components are reusable or recyclable.
Osanipin also disclosed that Nigeria will introduce mandatory pre-export certification for used vehicles from 2026, a measure aimed at preventing the importation of unroadworthy and end-of-life vehicles into the country.
About the Author
