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Future of Nigerian auto industry bright, says NADDC DG Osanipin after visiting Innoson assembly plant in Nnewi

Published

3 years ago

November 21, 2023

Future of Nigerian auto industry bright, says NADDC DG Osanipin after visiting Innoson assembly plant in Nnewi

Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Joseph Oluwemimo Osanipin, recently visited Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Ltd (IVM), Nnewi, and was received by the Chairman of company, Innocent Chukwuma.

Innoson thus became the first automaker the new DG visited since his appointment in October. During the tour which took him to the various sections of the existing factory, as well as the site of a new plant under construction, Osanipin gave his impression and commented on other issues in the industry. Excerpts:

What are your thoughts having seen the Innoson factories in Nnewi?

I have visited the Innoson factory where sedans, SUVs, buses and other vehicles, are being manufactured here in Nnewi. I have also come here to see another massive factory that is under construction in another part of the town. As you can see, this new plant under construction occupies a land space of about 20, 000 square metres. That is one. Yet another one of the same size is being constructed next to it. I have come to inspect and see the huge investments, the huge capital being invested Innoson, and know how we can come in and partner with them to know how to move the sector forward. And this is because there is a lot of potential in the industry. From what I have seen today, I am impressed. And let me say that I am positively surprised, because I never thought we had this kind of investment here. I never knew we had this kind of expertise existing here at Innoson, and I never knew that a lot has been going on here in the industry. I have been hearing of Innoson and I have been seeing a lot of Innoson vehicles on the road, but now I think I have a better understanding of what IVM is all about.

Having visited and seen what is going on at Innoson, what should the nation expect from you in terms of impact?

The impact from this visit will be more partnership. Now that we know the capability of Innoson and know their capacity and growth plan, we are in a better position to look forward to more partnership. From what we have seen, by February or March, this new factory under construction would have been completed and commissioned. That means that long buses and trucks can be produced here. So, we are going to have at Innoson two separate factories that can produce different ranges of products. And again today, I saw a CNG-powered long bus that can go more than 1000 kilometres on a fully-filled up cylinder. These are eye-openers for us. These are things that we did not know before now that have been happening here at Innoson. So, we want to expose all these to Nigerians. We need to make these things known to everybody in Nigeria, and bring them to the knowledge of the government and make them known to the fleet operators. Let me tell you that we did a study on the cost of fuel per kilometre: While PMS (Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol or gasoline) is N135 to N137 per kilometre if you use a bus, it will cost between N37 to N39 if it is a CNG vehicle. This is a message we want to pass to the average fleet operators, and tell them: ‘Come and try this. Come and use these CNG buses manufactured by Innoson.’ So, we are going to talk to the fleet operators and see how we can bring them together. We are going to talk to every other stakeholder and see how all of us can work together to grow the industry.

How do you intend to help the auto plants in Nigeria like Innoson source foreign exchange?

We all know the Federal Government’s policy concerning foreign exchange today. It is about encouraging the export of more locally made products. It is part of the discussion I have been having with the Innoson chairman. We can produce more and export to earn foreign exchange. Again, it needs financing. I cannot come here now and promise this or that. But what I can say is that whatever we can do in terms of support, we will do it; even if it means talking to other financial institutions that finance green energy, we can bring them together.

With companies like Innoson partnering with NADDC, will you say the future of the automotive industry is getting brighter?

The future of the industry is bright. We have not done anything yet. There are a lot of opportunities in the industry. We only need people with courage and people that love the country. If Innoson doesn’t love his country and doesn’t’ have the courage, he won’t be making all these investments. If you don’t love your country, you won’t be doing all that. If we have people like Innoson, then we need to support as a country; support our own, and support made-in-Nigeria vehicles and made-in-Nigeria goods. For me, it is part of what I stand for. I stand for made-in-Nigeria vehicles, made in Nigeria goods. I asked what is the percentage of local content in the production of that bus we use in our airports, and I was told it is between 60 and 70 percent. Gradually, we hope to get up to 80 percent, and from there, we know we can achieve more. From what we have seen today at Innoson, the future of the automotive industry is very bright with the support of everyone, all of us. You don’t say you cannot support. In every little way that you can, try as much as possible to support. Talk more about made-in-Nigeria vehicles. By the time all of us support it, the industry will grow.

Innoson started manufacturing CNG-powered vehicles two years ago and is so far the only automaker doing so in Nigeria, but IVM is not among those partnering with the Federal Government to produce the buses to be rolled out following fuel subsidy removal. Is there anything NADDC can do about it?

Let me say one thing. We are not involved in the procurement process, but having said that, whatever assistance we can render by putting forward the manufacturers we have in our list, we will do it. We have the automotive manufacturers which Innoson is part of. So, we are going to push forward our members; that is, those companies that we licensed. We are going to talk to every agency and we are going to talk to the government. We are going to put their names and products forward too. Many people don’t know some of these things, like the CNG. So, we are going to take it out and let people see it, and from there, I am sure in the next round, we will be able to push for patronage for all our members, including IVM.

You took over as the DG at a time the auto industry is at a critical state. What would be your priority in the next few months?

First, what I need to do in the next few months is to put us forward. I mean to put us out there. Let Nigerians know our capability in the auto industry. A lot of things happening in the auto industry are not being told to the public. So first of all, we need to put our better face out there, so that people will know what we have there. Secondly, I know and I talk to some people and the question they ask is: ‘What about after-sale service?’ Innoson knows and I discussed it with him. I am happy that he is working along that line. We are going to encourage every member of the industry to pay more attention to after-sale support. Apart from that, we are going to encourage more local components. And I am happy Innoson is already doing that. What he is doing is what we want to extend to every other member of industry. Let’s improve more on local content.

Is giving legal backing to auto policy a priority? The Jonathan administration introduced it, but did not sign it into law. Buhari was in office for eight years, but didn’t sign it either. Will it be one of our priorities?

I don’t want to put it among what we are going to achieve in three, four, five months. Anything that involves law, you may not be able to put a timeline to it. However, we will continue to push. By next week (this week), we will be having a meeting with all the auto assemblers and manufacturers in Lagos. We are going to discuss the NAIDP (Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan). As I mentioned before, we want it to become law because it is when it has become law that it will encourage more people to invest in the sector.

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Toyota Celebrates Customers, Partners as Zenith Bank Clinches Top Honour

Published

2 days ago

June 14, 2026

Trends Admin

L-R: Chairman of Toyota Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade.Ojo; Head of Admin and Due Diligence, Zenith Bank, Mr. Callixtus Nwodo; and Head, Dealer Development and Special Duties at Toyota Nigeria Limited, Mr. Henry Ojuoko, during the presentation of Toyota Starlet Cross to Zenith as winner of TNL Evergreen Customer award in Lagos.

Toyota Celebrates Customers, Partners as Zenith Bank Clinches Top Honour

Toyota (Nigeria) Limited celebrated customer loyalty, strategic partnerships and industry excellence at its 2026 Awards and Customers’ Night in Lagos, with Zenith Bank, AGL Motors and leading automotive journalists emerging among the biggest winners.

The event, which coincided with Toyota Nigeria’s 30th anniversary celebrations, attracted customers, dealers, government officials, financial institutions, media practitioners and other stakeholders who have contributed to the company’s growth over the past three decades.

A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Evergreen Customer of the Year Award to Zenith Bank Plc in recognition of its status as Toyota Nigeria’s most consistent customer over the last five years.

The award came with a brand-new Toyota Starlet Cross, presented by the company’s Chairman and founder, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo.

Managing Director of Toyota Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo; Chairman of TNL, Chief Michael Ade.Ojo, and MD/CEO, AGL Motors Ltd, Alhaji AbdulAfeez Gabar Lado, at the presentation of the 2025 best customer award to AGL Motors at the Toyota Awards in Lagos.

AGL Motors received recognition as Customer of the Year after recording the highest volume of Toyota vehicle purchases in 2025. The Nigerian Army and Zenith Bank finished as first and second runners-up respectively in the category, with winners receiving office equipment worth several millions of naira.

Toyota Celebrates Customers, Partners as Zenith Bank Clinches Top Honour

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Toyota moves to ease vehicle ownership amid economic challenges

Published

4 days ago

June 12, 2026

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Toyota Nigeria unveils plans to ease vehicle ownership

As rising costs put car ownership beyond the reach of many Nigerians, Toyota Nigeria Limited says it is rolling out fresh measures to make buying and maintaining vehicles easier for customers.

Managing Director, Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo, announced the plans at the company’s 2026 Awards and Customers’ Night in Lagos, where he reaffirmed Toyota’s commitment to expanding mobility solutions in the country.

A statement on Thursday quoted Ade-Ojo as saying Toyota Nigeria would continue to innovate and introduce strategies that would enable more Nigerians to own and maintain Toyota vehicles while enjoying quality after-sales support.

According to him, the company’s commitment goes beyond selling vehicles to ensuring customers enjoy a seamless ownership experience through a robust nationwide service network.

“We will continue to innovate, adapt and elevate our product offerings and service delivery. Our ambition remains clear: to sustain industry leadership while contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development as a responsible corporate citizen,” he said.

He added that the company’s future plans are aligned with Toyota’s global vision of enriching lives through mobility, with a strong focus on innovation, sustainability and value creation.

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Zenith Bank tops awards list as Toyota Nigeria celebrates three decades of excellence (plus photos)

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1 week ago

June 7, 2026

Trends Admin

Zenith Bank tops awards list as Toyota Nigeria celebrates three decades of excellence (plus photos)

Zenith Bank Plc has emerged as the biggest winner at the 2026 Toyota Awards and Customers’ Night, clinching the coveted Evergreen Customer of the Year Award for the second consecutive year in recognition of its exceptional patronage of Toyota vehicles over the past five years.

The colourful event, held on Friday, May 5, 2026, at The Podium Event Centre in Lekki, Lagos, brought together an impressive gathering of customers, dealers, government officials, corporate partners, media practitioners and industry stakeholders to celebrate the achievements of Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) and strengthen the partnerships that have sustained its leadership in Nigeria’s automotive industry.

The annual awards ceremony serves as a platform to reward loyal customers, honour strategic partners and reinforce the company’s customer-first philosophy.

The highlight of the evening came when representatives of Zenith Bank were invited to the stage to receive the prestigious award for purchasing the highest number of Toyota vehicles from TNL dealerships in 2025.

The banking giant also secured the same honour last year after emerging as the customer with the highest cumulative vehicle purchases between 2020 and 2024.

In recognition of the feat, Chairman and founder of Toyota Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, presented Zenith Bank with the keys to a brand-new Toyota Starlet Cross.

The competition in the Customer of the Year category was equally keen. AGL Motors emerged as the overall winner, while the Nigerian Army and Zenith Bank finished as first and second runners-up respectively. The winners received office equipment worth several millions of naira.

The 2026 edition of the awards carried special significance as Toyota Nigeria celebrated its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of operations since its establishment in 1996.

In keeping with its tradition of recognising contributors across its business ecosystem, Toyota Nigeria also honoured outstanding automotive journalists whose reports and analyses helped shape public understanding of developments in the industry.

Veteran motoring journalist, Theodore Opara of Vanguard, was named Journalist of the Year for his consistent coverage of the automotive sector and insightful reporting on industry trends and Toyota’s innovations.

Mike Ochonma of Transport World emerged as the runner-up, while Rasheed Bisiriyu of Newstrends was recognised as the second runner-up for their contributions to automotive journalism, particularly in the areas of vehicle technology, mobility solutions and market analysis.ĺ

Earlier in his keynote address, Managing Director of TNL, Kunle Ade-Ojo reflected on the company’s journey, describing the milestone as a testament to resilience, innovation and customer loyalty.

“Tonight is a moment of reflection, celebration and renewed commitment,” he said.

“For us at Toyota Nigeria, this annual gathering is more than a tradition. It is a deliberate expression of our enduring philosophy of putting the customer first. It provides a unique platform to honour the loyalty, trust and partnership that have defined our journey over the years.”

According to him, Toyota Nigeria has evolved from modest beginnings into one of the country’s most trusted automotive brands through a relentless focus on quality, reliability and service excellence.

“Since commencing operations in 1996, our journey has been defined by resilience, growth and transformation. Our progress over the past three decades has been anchored on one unwavering principle—creating value for our customers.

“Beyond delivering vehicles that meet diverse mobility needs, we have invested significantly in building a nationwide after-sales ecosystem designed to provide a seamless and premium ownership experience.”

Ade-Ojo assured customers and stakeholders that Toyota Nigeria would continue to innovate and improve its products and services despite prevailing economic challenges.

Several dealers and business partners used the occasion to commend Toyota Nigeria for its continuous investments in dealer development, training initiatives and workshop upgrades aimed at improving service delivery nationwide.

Ade-Ojo expressed gratitude to Toyota Nigeria’s extensive network of stakeholders, including dealers, customers, suppliers, consultants, financial institutions and employees.

“The journey of the past 30 years would not have been possible without the unwavering support and contributions of our stakeholders,” he said.

The managing director also acknowledged the support of Toyota Nigeria’s principal partner, Toyota Motor Corporation, as well as the company’s board of directors led by Chief Ade.Ojo.

He further assured customers that Toyota Nigeria would continue to introduce customer-friendly initiatives designed to make vehicle ownership more accessible despite economic headwinds.

“Despite the monumental challenges in the economy, Toyota Nigeria will continue to devise means that will enable our customers to enjoy their preferred auto brand—Toyota. We will continue to initiate customer-friendly business improvement strategies aimed at making our vehicles more affordable.”