Design/Development of Automotive Mechatronics Curriculum and Its Instructional Manuals

The inability of our mechanics to be able to understand and repair new generation vehicles in the country today, prompted the Council to commission a study on mechanics skill-gap analysis i.e. the difference between available know-how and the requirements of modern automobile maintenance and repairs in Nigeria. The findings of the study show that 80% of the skill deficiencies of the Nigerian auto-technicians hinges mainly on the electrical/electronic systems of these modern vehicles while 20% are on incorrect work methods, safety and environment as well as poor workshop management and organizational ability. These findings further prompted the Council to design, in collaboration with other stakeholders an automotive Mechatronics Curriculum. This curriculum will lead to the award of Trade Test III, II and I certificates in automotive mechatronics. The Council also went a step further and developed instructional manuals for the delivery of the curriculum. These instruction manuals are now ready and the training programme will soon commence when we finish our discussions with the proposed training centres. The Council through a consultant identified 260 workshop nationwide where mechanics can be trained in the new curriculum. 260 trainers from these were trained on teaching methods and auto technical subjects. This training programme will equip our mechanics to a have a deeper understanding of new vehicle technology and give them the skill needed to repair them, thereby saving their jobs as the vehicles they are able to repair currently are dwindling in number. NADDC is also collaborating with SMEDAN to train 100 mechanics on repairs & maintenance of new generation vehicles from 7th October, 2013. NAC and SURE-P plan to training 2,000 auto technicians from October, 2013. NADDC plans to start its own training programme before the end of the year.

The Council in collaboration with Simba Group of India, organized training for over five hundred (500) mechanics drawn across the country on the repair and maintenance of motorcycles/tricycles. This was aimed at upgrading the skills of the technicians and enhancing their efficiency. The mechanics so trained are now better equipped to impact knowledge and skills to their apprentices thus creating a multiplier effect within the sector.

To ensure the delivery of the NVQF which was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council as proposed by NBTE. The Council has partnered with NBTE to develop National Occupational Standards (NOS) in Nigeria. A total of eighteen NOS were developed for automotive sector. The development of 18 NOS and delivery of the NVQF is aimed at enthroning and institutionalizing competency based technical education and training (TVET) in NIgeria. The framework is a system designed for the development, classification and recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies acquired. The workshop for the development of NOS in Nigeria was held in Lagos on 7th – 26th April, 2013 in which the Council was fully involved. To build capacity for the delivery of NOS, Council has requested SURE-P to fund 3-weeks training of assessors, 6-weeks workplace assessment for the trainee assessors, 2-weeks training of verifiers, 4-weeks workplace assessment for the verifiers. The six institutions that benefited from NADDC’s equipment/tool grant will be used as training centre when it come on stream. NABTEB will serve as the awarding body for the auto sector in Nigeria. The training of verifiers and the assessors shall be done by the Council upon fund availability in 2014. The Automotive Curriculum developed by the Council will be fitted into NVQF for Trade Test I, II and III at the low level of the NVQF 6 level.

In collaboration with the National Universities Commission (NUC), Council designed and developed the curriculum for teaching automotive engineering in higher institutions in Nigeria. Elizade, and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi Universities have indicated interested in offering the course. To aid take-off in three pilot institutions, the teaching of Automotive Engineering at First Degree Level in Nigeria would be supported with Council grant-in-aid in equipment/tools to pilot universities.

To bridge the identified skills gap in repair and maintenance of new generation vehicles among our auto technicians and mechanics, the Council Board gave approval for the acquisition of Diagnostic Equipment/tools for the teaching of automotive mechatronics. This is to complement the delivery of the mechatronics curriculum which the Council had designed. Using the yardstick of mechanics concentration in the states, the underlisted schools were chosen to benefit in this pilot stage of the equipment/tools grants:

1. Federal Science and Technical College, Orozo, Abuja
2. Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe
3. National Metallurgical Training Institute, Onitsha
4. Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori
5. Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu; and
6. Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna.

The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Motorscan of Italy supplied the equipment/tools in March, 2011. The equipment/tools were handed over to the benefiting institutions on the 19th April, 2011 in a ceremony presided over by the Hon. Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Ms. Josephine Tapgun.

The Council also sponsored the installation, commissioning and training of end-users in the benefiting institutions.

NADDC has procured Auto Mechatronics equipment and tools for donation to:

– ITF Training Centre, Kano

– ITF Training Centre, Lagos and

– Business Apprenticeship Training Centre, Zaria.

In collaboration with SON and relevant stakeholders, Council adapted and adopted/adaption 104 automotive safety standards to give approval and testing for compliance to standards, all auto components produced in-country or destined for Nigerian market. NADDC would further participate in design, adoption and adaption of other mandatory safety and performance standards to be undertaken in collaboration with auto stakeholders in 2013/2014.

For over two decades, many State Governments have provided land for mechanic villages. However, many have not been developed and provided with all necessary infrastructures. Accordingly, the National Automotive Council is presently partnering with the State Governments, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the mechanics and other stakeholders to enhance private sector participation in the design, financing, constructing, operation and maintenance of selected Mechanic Villages through concessions or contractual arrangements. The main objective of this intervention is to ensure prompt and efficient repair of vehicles, while ensuring the safety of both the mechanics and the environment. To accomplish the goal, the Council has engaged consultants (Rebel Group of Netherlands) to conduct Outline Business Case (OBC) studies on the project. Afriprojects and PPP Advisors Ltd are co-consultants to REBEL Group. State Governments are expected to collaborate with the Council in the PPP arrangement in the area of land provision with basic infrastructural facilities including Survey Plan and Certificate of Occupancy (C of O). The following states were granted approval to participate by NADDC: Oyo, Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Edo, Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Anambra, Enugu, Kaduna, Kwara, Niger, Kano, Gombe, Adamawa and Bauchi. Out of these, about six (6) states have allocated lands with titles for the project, while others are being awaited. The inception report has been received and completion is expected in January 2014. Reminder letters were sent to other States to provide certificated land to participate in Phase II OBC Studies as mechanic village hosts.

For the Council to realize its twin statutory responsibilities of ensuring the incorporation of local content in locally assembled vehicles and compliance of automotive products with environmental and technical safety regulations, the establishment of an auto test centre in Nigeria became imperative. This is to promote availability of infrastructural facilities for testing and certifying standards of locally produced assembled auto components and vehicles by establishing Auto Test Centre Laboratories. In order to achieve this goal, the Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SMEDAN for the use of a portion of the premises of IDC, Zaria for the construction of the Automotive Materials Testing and Vehicle Evaluation Laboratories. A parcel of land measuring 30,000m2 has been allocated to the Council for the construction of the laboratories within the IDC premises in Zaria. The portion of land is currently being survey by surveyors engaged by the Council. In the same vein, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has also been signed between the Council and Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) for the construction of another laboratory in SON’s premises in Enugu. Equally a MOU has been signed with the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos to construct the Emission Test Lab on its premises. Contracts for the construction of auto test  laboratories and administrative building have been awarded.