Senate Committee Urges South-East Governors to Patronise Innoson Motors, Hails Indigenous Innovation
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industry, Sen. Francis Fadahunsi, has called on governors from the South-East to patronise Innoson Motors, describing such support as vital to promoting local manufacturing and economic growth.
Fadahunsi made the appeal during an oversight visit by members of his committee to the Innoson Group of Companies in Nnewi, Anambra State. The team also toured the company’s other factories in Lagos and Enugu.
He said the committee was impressed by the scale of Innoson’s operations and the company’s impact on job creation and industrial development across the country.
“Innoson has massive investment scattered across the country with over 7,000 workers without zero duty on imported products,” Fadahunsi said. “Mr President will be informed of this and the Senate will hear of it too for a positive response.”
He urged the South-East governors to lead by example by purchasing vehicles made by the indigenous automobile manufacturer, noting that the company’s products cater to both the masses and the wealthy.
According to him, despite not enjoying duty exemptions, Innoson has continued to produce a wide range of products—from plastics to automobiles—that contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic growth.
“The company has invested majorly on products that promote the economy of the nation without having duty exemption and still create wealth for the populace,” Fadahunsi stated.
The lawmaker called on the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Industry (BoI) to come to the company’s aid, stressing that such support would address existing inequities in the sector. He also urged Innoson to consider reducing its product prices once it receives the much-needed duty exemption.
In his remarks, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Innoson Group of Companies, clarified that his company was a full automobile manufacturer and not merely an assembler as some people believe.
“My company produces 60 per cent of the vehicles, and I appeal to Nigerians to buy made-in-Nigeria motors,” Chukwuma said.
He appealed to all levels of government to patronise local manufacturers as a way of supporting indigenous industries and strengthening the economy. He also called for zero-duty incentives on his company’s imports to enable lower production costs and create more jobs.
Also speaking, Mr. Oluwemimo Osanipin, Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), said the council would present Innoson’s concerns to the appropriate authorities.
“We have seen that the company buys flat sheets, which comes with duty and that makes him feel disadvantaged. We will look into this,” Osanipin said.
He emphasised that the NADDC would ensure a level playing field for all manufacturers in the automobile industry.
“Innoson has the capacity to make 3,000 buses, which we do not buy. We have seen that over 7,300 Nigerians are under his employ,” he said.
Osanipin also noted that Innoson produces Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles from start to finish, stressing the need to support local manufacturers to discourage vehicle importation. He disclosed that the company was constructing a third factory, which, when completed, would be one of the largest assembly plants in Africa for electric and CNG vehicles.
The committee’s delegation included the Vice Chairman, Sen. Isa Lau, Sen. Ekong Sampson, Sen. Ipalibo Banigo, and other distinguished members.
Their visit underscored the National Assembly’s growing recognition of indigenous manufacturing champions like Innoson, whose continued innovation and investment hold the promise of transforming Nigeria’s industrial landscape.
