Manufacturers to roll out auto spare parts’ platform in 2026

Nigeria’s automotive industry is poised for a significant aftersales transformation in 2026, as the Auto Component Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (ACMAN) moves closer to launching an automated national platform that will provide vehicle assemblers with instant access to locally manufactured spare parts. The development was disclosed by ACMAN Chairman, Anselm Ilekuba, during his keynote address […]

Nigeria’s automotive industry is poised for a significant aftersales transformation in 2026, as the Auto Component Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (ACMAN) moves closer to launching an automated national platform that will provide vehicle assemblers with instant access to locally manufactured spare parts.

The development was disclosed by ACMAN Chairman, Anselm Ilekuba, during his keynote address at the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Awards Night, held on Tuesday at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The initiative signals a strategic push to deepen local content and gradually phase out imported replacement parts.

Ilekuba described auto component manufacturers as the backbone of the automotive value chain, noting that the persistent challenge of spare parts availability—one of the major credibility concerns for vehicle assemblers in Nigeria—is about to be addressed.

“We are the live wire of the assemblers. If component manufacturers stop working, aftersales service collapses. Nigerians constantly ask assemblers, ‘Do you have parts for this vehicle?’ We have taken up that challenge,” he said.

He explained that ACMAN, in partnership with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), has developed a digital platform through which assemblers will upload available components, enabling dealers and vehicle owners to view and source spare parts in real time.

“At the click of a button, every registered user will be able to see available parts. All NADDC-registered assemblers and ACMAN members are already producing and fine-tuning their output to meet aftersales demand and qualify for credible local replacements as we begin eliminating imported parts,” Ilekuba stated.

The platform is expected to go live in 2026, with all assemblers required to participate. The initiative is backed by support from an international donor agency, while strategic partnerships with India and South Africa are also being pursued to strengthen the system and expand manufacturing capacity.

Looking beyond the domestic market, ACMAN is positioning Nigeria for a stronger regional presence. Ilekuba said the association aims to significantly increase Nigeria’s share of auto component manufacturing within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) before the end of the current tenure of the NADDC Director-General.

He called for deeper collaboration across the automotive industry, expressing confidence that component manufacturers—often operating behind the scenes—will gain greater recognition for their critical role in driving the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s auto sector.