By Suleiman Shehu
The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has trained 50 auto-technicians in Oyo State on the maintenance and repair of petrol and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tricycles.
NADDC held the Ibadan training, collaborating with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiative (Monitoring and Delivery) and DAG Industry Limited, makers of Bajaj motorcycles.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NADDC is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
NADDC Director-General (DG), Mr Oluwemimo Osanipin, said that the four-day training was aimed at empowering Nigerian youths through practical and industry-driven skills.
Osanipin, represented by Mrs Joke Onireti, Director, Industrial Infrastructure Department, NADDC, said the skills acquired would prepare participants for the evolving opportunities in the nation’s automotive and clean energy sector.
The DG said that with the adoption of CNG in Nigeria, training on the new technology became imperative to prevent Nigerian youths and auto technicians from being left out of jobs.
“We want to train them on how to fix, maintain, and repair CNG motorcycles and tricycles, which is the new technology coming into the country.
“In terms of automotive, technology is not static; it is flexible, and every year new technology keeps coming out, and Nigeria needs to keep moving along,” Osanipin said.
He said the shift from conventional fuels to CNG in Nigeria wasn’t merely about technology but about people, knowledge, and trust.
“So, as we embrace this clean energy transition agenda, it is important to recognise that awareness and training are the bedrock of success in this journey,” he said.
According to the D-G, the use of CNG tricycles involves specialised systems, which must be handled with precision and care.
“Nigerian youths must be trained to build a workforce of competent technicians who can maintain and service CNG tricycles safely.
“This will empower our youths with new skills, opening doors to employment and entrepreneurship within the CNG value chain,” he said.
Dr Titilope Gbadamosi, Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiative (Monitoring and Delivery), said the participants would form part of a new generation of skilled technicians and innovators.
According to Gbadamosi, they will not only repair machines but also sustain their livelihood and improve mobility.
She said that her office would continue to work with all ministries, agencies, and industry stakeholders to ensure young people were not left behind in the growth of Nigeria’s economy.
The success of the training, she said, would inspire others and contribute to improved expertise in Nigeria, which could, in turn, be exported to other countries of the world.
Mr Chandan Kumar, Deputy Service Head, DAG Industry Limited, said participants would be trained on diagnostics and repairs, fuel system management, and safety in handling CNG components.
The training, he further said, would expose participants to preventive maintenance and entrepreneurial guidance for workshop start-ups, among others.
Mr Adisa Olalekan, the Oyo State Chairman, Tricycle Mechanic Development Association, commended the organisers and pledged to pass on the knowledge gained at the training. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Moses Solanke
