ECOWAS Visit Innoson Vehicle Assembly Plant, Hails Industry, Set to implement Regional Impact Strategic Framework.
By Raymond Enoch
In a significant move to accelerate industrial growth and integration in West Africa, the ECOWAS Commission, in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, paid a high-level follow-up visit to Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company (IVM) on September 3, 2025.
The mission, part of the Regional Automotive Industry Development Framework, marks a critical step in ECOWAS’s drive to localize vehicle production and reduce dependency on imports across member states. The visit brought together top officials from the ECOWAS Commission, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), and Innoson’s leadership.
The delegation toured Innoson’s sprawling facility in Anambra State, inspecting its vehicle assembly lines, compressed natural gas (CNG) operations, and vehicle stability testing units. The tour offered firsthand insight into how Nigeria’s National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) is translating from policy to production.
IVM, Nigeria’s first indigenous car manufacturer, presented an ambitious expansion blueprint which includes the commissioning of two new plants and a push for increased regional exports to Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Mali.
“Industrialisation must go beyond borders,” said the company’s President during the engagement. “Our vision is to build a truly West African automotive powerhouse — made in Nigeria, driven across ECOWAS.”
ECOWAS and Nigerian government officials praised Innoson for blazing a trail in local manufacturing, describing it as a model for regional industrial transformation. The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to working with private sector players like IVM to boost intra-African trade, create jobs, and strengthen value chains within the region.
As West Africa navigates its path toward economic integration, Innoson’s story is rapidly becoming a symbol of what’s possible when policy, innovation, and regional vision align — putting not just Nigeria, but the entire ECOWAS bloc, on the road to automotive self-sufficiency.
