NADDC DG, KPMG economist Kale for LCCI auto industry symposium

The Auto & Allied sub-Sectoral Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is set to hold a symposium on the Nigeria’s fledging automotive industry.

The programme holding on November 30, 2023 with the theme: The Auto & Allied Sector, Present-Day Realities in Nigeria’, at the LCCI Commerce House, Victoria Island, Lagos, will be attended by many leading auto industry stakeholders as well as experts from other fields of the economy.

According to a statement made available by Austin Akpovili, chairman of the symposium organizing committee, guest speakers expected at the symposium are Joseph Oluwemimo-Osanipin, director-general, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC); Yemi Kale, partner and chief economist at KPMG Professional Services.

Panelists at the programme are Aissatou Diuof, general manager, Suzuki by CFAO Motors Nigeria Limited; Mayokun Fadeyibi, chief operating officer, Autochek Africa; and Diana Chen, chairman and chief executive officer, CIG Motors Limited.

Michael Olawale-Cole, president of LCCI and Kunle Jayesimi are the chief host and host respectively.

Commenting on the forthcoming symposium, Jayesimi, who is chairman of the Auto & Allied sub-Sectoral Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that the theme of this year’s symposium reflects the current realities confronting Nigeria’s automotive sector.

He expressed optimism that both the keynote speakers and the panelists invited to the symposium would provide useful insights and frameworks on best ways possible to address the hydra-headed problem confronting the local automotive sector over the years.

On his own submission, Akpovili, chairman of the symposium organising committee stated that, he is very positive that the calibre of the speakers at this year’s symposium would provide quality propositions on the way forward for the automobile industry in the present day realities of Nigeria.

Expected at the all-important symposium are all the major automobile dealers, Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON), the Nigerian Automobile Manufacturers Association (NAMA) and the mechanic bodies.

Others targeted are the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), KPMG and Delloite, the Japanese embassy, the German and United States consulates.

The list also includes the Bureau of Public Enterprise, the Nigeria Customs Service, Publicity and Advocacy group of the of LCCI Chambers, customs clearing agents/association with Frank Aigbogun, publisher of of BusinessDay as the moderator.

Updated: Honda, Suzuki, Changan (Mikano) battle for Nigeria’s car of the year

•  Other categories nominees named

Two Japanese auto brands, Honda and Suzuki are to slug it out with a Chinese brand, Changan of Mikano for this year’s car of the year in Nigeria.

The Awards Committee of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) released list of nominees for its 2023 Nigeria Auto Awards on Friday morning.
The grand award event is scheduled for December 14 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The list features over 30 models of automobiles which cut across several segments of the auto industry, as well as auto showrooms and vehicle assembly plants in the country.

Suzuki Espresso, Honda HR-V and Changan Eado made it to the top of the list as the cars will battle for the coveted Car-of-the-Year, while Sino Truck Dangote, Shacman and JAC will go head-to-head in the Truck-of-the-Year category.

For the Assembly Plant-of-the-Year, Lanre-Shittu Motors, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing and Mikano Motors are on the card, while Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Range Rover will slug it out in the Luxury-Brand-of-the –Year category.

Stallion (JAC), Mandilas Motors and CFAO have been nominated for the Auto Workshop of the Year.
In the Compact SUV-of-the-Year category, Changan CS35, GAC GS4 and new entrant, Honda HR-V led the category. And in the Large SUV category, Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and Hyundai Palisade are the leading contenders.

Range Rover (Autobiography), BMW X7 and Mercedes G Wagon will battle for the Luxury SUV category. Maxus, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi L200 and JAC T6 will compete in the Pickup category, while GAC GS8, Changan Uni-K and JAC JS4 are the leading models in the outstanding auto design category.

In the minibus category, Toyota Hiace, Jet Mover, Foton View C2 and NORD Flit are the nominees, while Stallion Motors, ANAMMCO and Briscoe will vie for the Most Resilient Auto Company award.

Coscharis (Ford), Mikano and GAC are set to battle for the Auto Showroom of the Year award; Libra, Okeyson and GUO will compete in the Transport Company of the Year, while Bajaj and TVS are the two nominees in the Three-Wheeler of the Year category.

Chairman of the Awards committee, Rasheed Bisiriyu also revealed that Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, would be honoured with the Auto Personality of the Year for his immense contributions to the development of Nigeria’s auto industry.

He said nominees in the various categories were decided by an esteemed panel composed of experts in the industry, dealers and motoring editors.

“In producing these results, our panel demonstrated fierce dedication to their craft by selecting nominees worthy of their consideration in 2023,” he stated.

He said the anticipation for the annual auto awards is stronger than ever among consumers and the automotive sector.

He said, “The winners in the various categories will be revealed live at the grand event scheduled for December 15, 2023 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos in a grand ceremony.”

The Nigerian Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) is an association of professional journalists, writers, and corporate members whose focus is the automobile and the Nigerian automotive industry.

NAJA’s primary objective is to promote, encourage, support, and facilitate professionalism in Nigerian automotive journalism and to ensure factual and ethical reporting about the automobile and automotive issues to Nigerian consumers.

Stakeholders brainstorm on auto policy, seek legal backing for reviewed NAIDP

Automotive experts and other major stakeholders have called for accelerated work on the ongoing legislative framework for the updated National Automotive Industry Development Plan.

They spoke in Lagos on Wednesday at an interactive forum organised by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC).

The experts including representatives of the KPMG and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and automakers lamented that the prolonged delay in the enactment of the auto industry act was holding back the development of the nation’s automotive sector.

The 2023 NAIDP approved by the Federal Executive Council in May is aimed at enabling the exponential increase in the local production vehicles, reaching 40 per cent local content, 30 per cent locally produced electric vehicles, generating one million jobs and enforcing patronage of locally produced vehicles by government and companies working on government contracts.

Mr Ogoegbunam Chukwurah, Lead Export Market Development, National Action Committee on AfCFTA, gave a lecture on the benefits creating a single market in Africa would have for Nigeria’s auto sector.

He dwelt on how Nigerian auto players could take advantage of opportunities offered by AfCFTA to play on the global auto business stage.

Advisory Manager at KPMG Tobi David spoke on the various components of the NAIDP 2023 and was optimistic about Nigeria becoming a West African hub in the automotive industry.

A former acting DG of NADDC Luqman Mamudu focused on the challenges of implementing the policy and the way forward.

The auto experts and others agreed on the need to waste no further time in making the auto industry law a reality.

They also recommended the setting up of an working committee for the 2023 NAIDP implementation with a project management office and a two-yearly review of the progress being made.

Speaking via zoom, Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, said, “The auto industry is key to achieving economic diversification. And this is in line with the mandate of the ministry to ensure full diversification and full industrialisation of the economy.”

To facilitate market access and market expansion, she assured of engagement with different economic players to ease the difficulties in doing business and allow local manufacturers to participate in AfCFTA to export their products.

Director General of the NADDC, Mr Joseph Osanipin, in his welcome address, stated that the NAIDP is a critical pillar of the government’s efforts to transform the automotive sector and position it as a key driver of economic growth and job creation.

He said, “The plan is designed to address the key challenges facing the sector such as low production level, insufficient local content and limited access to financing.”

Osanipin maintained that the NAIDP 2023 is a comprehensive and ambitious plan that seeks to align local policies with AfCFTA in such a manner that would allow the industry to compete favourably on the continental and eventually global level.

He said the policy would ensure sustainability and environmental responsibility as it offers incentives in the area of the CNG and electric-powered vehicles.

Chairman of Nigerian Automobile Manufacturers Association (NAMA), Mr. Bawo Omagbitse, expressed the group’s appreciation to the NADDC for putting up the forum.

He stressed the eagerness of NAMA to work closely with the NADDC and other relevant authorities for proper implementation of the auto policy, adding that NAMA would develop internal guidance system to ensure that members operate in accordance with the rules and regulations provided in the NAIDP document.

Other participants at the meeting included representatives from Motorcycle Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), GM Motors, Anammco, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing ltd, Proforce, JET Motors, Mikano Motors, Nord Motors, Stallion, Perfection Motors, Toyota Nig. Ltd, Honda, CIG Motors, Dangote Sinotruck, Coscharis Motors, Kewalram, Dana Motors, VON Auto, Lanre Shittu Motors, CFAO and Saglev.