It was a moment steeped in pride and purpose when the University of Lagos (UNILAG) welcomed Dr. Olajumoke Omoniyi Oduwole, MFR Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to its Akoka campus on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
The Minister, a distinguished alumna of the University of Lagos Faculty of Law, returned to familiar grounds, not merely to reminisce, but to make a bold statement of leadership by officially taking delivery of her brand-new official vehicle, proudly made in Nigeria by Nord Automobile and assembled right here at the Nord UNILAG Assembly Plant.
This homecoming of Hon. Dr. Oduwole was more than ceremonial; it was symbolic. It was a full circle moment for the UNILAG vision, which captured the University’s drive for equipping students with hands-on training, driving innovation, and powering enterprises that transform the Nigerian economy.
Similarly, it was a significant milestone as Hon. Oduwole elegantly embodied the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR by choosing to patronise a locally assembled automobile enterprise. This step, which was taken on Nigeria’s Independence Day, not only demonstrates both the Minister and the government’s confidence in indigenous innovation but also spotlights the capacity of Nigerian institutions to deliver world-class solutions as the nation clocked sixty-five (65) years post-independence.
For the University of Lagos, this moment signified the fulfilment of a bold vision; one that places practical knowledge, industry exposure, and innovation at the heart of its academic mission. It was a moment that echoed the values of UNILAG as a university committed to producing graduates who create solutions, not just seek opportunities.
This is indeed made possible by the strategic plan of the University to enter into an agreement with Nord Automobile, where, as part of the University’s MoU with the company, UNILAG students gain valuable knowledge and experience through yearly internships at Nord Automobile.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics & Research) of UNILAG, Professor Bola Oboh, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS, noted that the internship opportunity is not limited to students in the engineering field but also accommodates UNILAG students in other fields.
Professor Oboh, who heartily welcomed the Minister, expressed the University’s pride in receiving one of its outstanding alumni, who has not only walked the campus in search of knowledge but has also imparted knowledge as a lecturer in the Faculty of Law before she answered the call to serve our nation Nigeria as the incumbent Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
She posited that it was even more symbolic and prestigious for the University that the Minister made her visit on such an auspicious day for such an important and inspiring moment, where she picked her official vehicle assembled not just by Nigerians in Nigeria, but assembled right on the soil of her alma mater, University of Lagos (UNILAG).
This, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor asserted will go on to motivate many Nigerians to dream out loud and believe in the limitless possibilities that abound in Nigeria for Nigerians. And the University of Lagos is proud to be a part of it.
The joy of Dr. Olajumoke Oduwole’s face as she stepped into her Nord Demir and turned the ignition as pure as it was contagious. She assured that she would “ride it with pride as an official car in Abuja and on official engagements.”
Dr. Oduwole went on to affirm that “this is a testament to supporting the Nigeria-First Initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. We are committed to supporting Nigerian businesses to scale across the country, the African continent, and beyond.”
Noting how the purchase of the UNILAG-assembled automobile would help boost foreign exchange, create jobs, aid education of young Nigerians and research, facilitate the transfer of technology, the Honourable Minister that one of the milestones the President Tinubu administration has been able to record in the last two (2) years is the stabilisation of the economy. She averred that it was for the purpose of promoting the cause of the Renewed Hope Agenda that she chose to celebrate Independence Day by buying a Made in Nigeria vehicle for official use.
Before experiencing her new official vehicle, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olajumoke Oduwole, MFR and members of the UNILAG Management, were taken on a tour of the assemblage facility of Nord Automobile at UNILAG. The tour covered the Nord UNILAG Assembly Plant, research and development section, manufacturing and assembly line workshop, and Showroom where completed projects are displayed in an exquisite floor-to-ceiling glass display.
The partnership between UNILAG and Nord Motions, established in July 2022, remains the first university-based automobile assembly plant and manufacturing hub in Africa. This groundbreaking collaboration provides students with hands-on experience in automobile manufacturing, fosters cutting-edge research and development, and extends into emerging technologies such as electric vehicle and drone assembly for commercial and security purposes.
The story of Nord Motion on the Akoka campus illustrates how knowledge, skill, and vision converge to produce enterprises that speak to Nigeria’s limitless potential. Presently, Nord Motions can assemble 5 vehicles at its UNILAG Assembly Plant. Having Nigerian-assembled vehicles come out of the University of Lagos further reinforces the University’s identity as the University of First Choice and the Nation’s Pride.
This milestone is not only a testament to the nation’s faith in indigenous enterprise but also a glowing endorsement of UNILAG’s pioneering role in bridging academia and industry.
Indeed, the University of Lagos remains a living proof that with vision, collaboration, and excellence, the future can be built here in Nigeria.
