…sets up c’ttee to plan National Security Summit

The Senate yesterday passed for second reading a Bill seeking to mandate Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of government to prioritise locally manufactured automobiles in their procurement processes.

The Bill, titled Local Automotive Industry Patronage Bill, 2025, was sponsored by Senator Patrick Ndubueze (Imo North).

He said: “We have failed to institutionalize the use of indigenous products, brands, and services in Nigeria and have instead glorified foreign goods of no particular superior quality.

“Today we see the seesawing of the Naira and with every plunge, inflation bites harder.” He lamented that despite the issuance of 54 automobile manufacturing licences, only six companies remain operational due to forex constraints and inadequate infrastructure.

He said: “Several automakers moved to nearby Ghana and are setting up assembly plants there with plans to export the vehicles to Nigeria.”

Ndubueze stressed the urgent need for a sustainable automobile policy that would institutionalise the use of Nigerianmade vehicles, especially in government.

“How do we stem the free fall of the naira if we cannot address our appetite for foreign goods? “How do we support the development of indigenous brands if the biggest spender, year on year — government — refuses to buy made-in Nigeria goods?”

Meanwhile,the Senate, yesterday, constituted a 20-member Committee, to plan a national summit on security as part of its efforts to address Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.

The Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the membership of the Committee during the plenary, after a majority of the Senators supported it through voice votes.

Akpabio said the committee would be chaired by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District while Yahaya Abdullahi representing Kebbi North would serve as vice chairman.

The committee’s primary objective was to design the framework for the proposed national summit, including setting the agenda, identifying key discussion points, and proposing actionable strategies to effectively tackle Nigeria’s security lapses.

The President of the Senate directed the Committee to submit its report to the apex legislative Chamber within two weeks.