Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh signals stricter import checks to raise vehicle standards nationwide. | Source: Newsverge
Nigeria is restricting how vehicles enter the country. From now on, every car must be certified before it arrives. The goal is to keep unsafe or low-quality vehicles off the road and bring more structure to how imports are handled.
By shifting checks to before shipment, the government aims to reduce the risks tied to substandard imports and strengthen oversight across the automotive sector.
Non-Compliant Vehicles Risk Entry Bans And Penalties Under New Import Rules
Nigeria has made it clear: no certification, no entry. This directive came from the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, who stated that the policy is now official and will be enforced. Any vehicle that fails to meet the required standards will be denied clearance and may face sanctions.
The system behind this is the SON-NADDC Vehicle Conformity Assessment Programme (VehCAP) which checks vehicles before they are shipped into Nigeria, instead of waiting until they arrive. Regulators say this approach helps stop unsafe vehicles early, before they become harder and more expensive to control.
Officials say the problem is widespread. Many imported vehicles, especially used ones, come in without proper verification of their safety condition, emissions performance or maintenance history. This has led to more mechanical failures, safety risks and the spread of substandard parts.
The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Oluwemimo Osanipin, described the policy as a necessary shift in how vehicles enter and operate in Nigeria. He stressed that vehicles function as complex systems, and their safety depends not only on how they are built, but also on how they are used and maintained over time.
VehCAP now requires that every vehicle meets set standards, passes verification and receives certification before it can enter Nigeria. The aim is to stop unsafe vehicles before they reach Nigerian roads.
Beyond safety, the policy also supports the local automotive sector. By tightening import controls, the government is trying to reduce the impact of poorly regulated imports on local industry growth.
The Reality Of Nigeria’s Car Market: Used Vehicle Imports Drive Most Buying Decisions
It’s worth remembering that the Nigerian car market relies heavily on used cars. The numbers make that clear; according to a report by the Tribune NG, for every one new car sold, about 131 tokunbo cars are on the road. Most people are simply working with what they can afford, and with prices where they are, brand-new cars sit out of reach for many buyers.
At 234Drive, we’ve looked at the market closely, especially when putting together our “best cars at different price points” guides. What we found is that the price gap is wide. A car you can get for around ₦5 million in the tokunbo market can go as high as ₦10 million or more when you look at the brand-new version, where it’s available. That difference shapes how people buy.
From entry-level buyers trying to get their first car to small businesses that rely on daily movement, tokunbo cars remain the most realistic option. And that says a lot about the market—not just what people want, but what they can afford within the current state of the industry.
