KIA, Access Bank launch special finance scheme for vehicle ownership 

KIA Motors Nigeria in partnership with Access Bank Plc has unveiled a new finance scheme designed to increase vehicle ownership and affordability in the country.

The deal, according to a statement by the auto firm, offers flexible and affordable financing alternatives, enabling individuals, women, and businesses to own cars with ease.

The scheme features the all-new Kia Rio 2023, with repayment plans spanning five to seven years.

Marketing Manager, KIA Motors Nigeria, Omolade Akinyode, said, ”Dana Motors has been at the forefront of Nigeria’s automotive industry since 2002, providing exceptional automotive solutions and presently leading the charge for luxury electric cars, CNG cars and buses.

“Our partnership with Access Bank reinforces our commitment to supporting Nigeria’s economic growth, individuals, and women.”

She also said, ”Our core competitive edge in the auto industry is the offering of best in class vehicles at affordable prices and this retail financing scheme is a significant step towards promoting vehicle ownership in Nigeria.

”With a flexible repayment option of up to 48 months, equity contribution as low as 10% and over N6m discount and we are proud to be at the forefront of this initiative to make owning the all-new Kia Rio 2023 a dream come through for our Nigerian Customers.”

KIA stated that the car in the package, Rio 2023, is an award winning five-seater sedan, a fun car with a reputation for durability, reliability, comfort and fuel efficiency.

With safety features which include stability control, traction control, and multiple airbags, the all new KIA Rio 2023 is an excellent choice for customers who prioritize dependability in vehicle options,” it stated.

NADDC DG hails Kojo Motors for establishing CNG conversion centre in Owerri

Kojo Motors has partnered the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in setting up the vehicle Compressed Natural Gas conversion centre in Owerri, lmo State.

Director-General of the NADDC, Joseph Osanipin, during an empowerment and awareness summit on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, commended the auto firm for the monumental project.

“Today, we are gathered here for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Empowerment and Awareness Summit 2025 with the theme ‘Building a youth-based nation through cleaner energy’,” he said.

Osanipin said that the the purpose of the summit was to create awareness and sensitize the public to safety, standards and regulation in the use of the CNG as a better alternative source of energy for mobility.

NADDC, he said, was equipping technicians with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to safely and efficiently convert vehicles to run on CNG.

“The Council is a parastatal of the Federal Government under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment,” he added.

“It has the regulatory oversight on the Nigerian Automotive Industry to initiate, recommend, supervise and regulate policies and programmes for locally manufactured vehicles and components in Nigeria.

The NADDC boss noted that the Council had worked tirelessly to ensure the survival and growth of this sector with a view to enhancing its contribution to the national economy.

As part of the CNG conversion programme, 60 technicians will be receiving hands-on training in converting vehicles to run on CNG which would run for five days from the March 17 to 21,2025.

Osanipin emphasized the importance of using certified conversion kits and specialized workshops to ensure safety during the process.

“The cylinders used in CNG vehicles are fortified, making them safer than traditional vehicle fuel tanks,” he said.

Also speaking during the event, Professor Anoka Njan, representative of the Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, praised the NADDC and Kojo Motors efforts, stating that the ministry fully supported the initiative as part of broader efforts to alleviate challenges in the auto industry and empower the youth.

Imo State Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr. Emeka Mandela Ukaegbu, who spoke at the summit on behalf of Governor Hope Uzodinma, emphasised the immense potential of the CNG in easing Nigeria’s transportation challenges and improving the economy.

“CNG offers a safer, cleaner, and cheaper alternative to the hardships many face in the country,” Dr. Madela said.

The administration is partnering with NADDC and automotive industry bodies to establish conversion workshops and CNG refilling stations across Imo State, ensuring that the state plays a key role in this important shift toward greener energy solutions.

The event marks a significant step in NADDC’s ongoing efforts to transform Nigeria’s automotive industry, making it more sustainable while creating new opportunities for skilled technicians and local communities.

Chinedu Oguegbu, Managing Director of OMAA, which is the vehicle brand promoting the petrol-powered to CNG conversion project, highlighted the economic benefits of running vehicles on CNG instead of petrol.

He listed the economic advantages to include savings up to 60 percent in the cost of fuel relative to dirtier options like diesel and petrol.

According to him, there is up to 90 percent reduction in knocks and carbon emission, and it is found to be healthier, cleaner and more environmentally friendly.

Besides savings in foreign exchange (FX) with abundance of gas locally, there is also massive resources in-country over 203 tcf of proven reserves that requires no refining and relatively lower investment for processing.

Nigeria has an estimated 15-20 million vehicles in operation that can be converted to dual-fuel or bi-fuel.

The OMAA boss reiterated the crucial need to provide an alternative to existing fuel system with the abundance of CNG as an option.

Delivering his goodwill message, Chino Ogwumike, the National Sales Manager at Kojo Motors, thanked the DG of NADDC for partnering with Kojo in this laudable project in Owerri, the heartland of the South-East of Nigeria and the government of Imo State for accepting to provide the land for building the CNG hub in the state capital.

Ogwumike stated that the flourishing automotive dealership with branches spread across the country under the visionary leadership of the founder and Executive Chairman, Ikenna Oguegbu, is strongly committed to contributing its quota towards the progress and development of Nigeria’s automotive sector and the economy.

Lanre Shittu Motors offers support for EV bus design competition in universities

Lanre Shittu Motors (LSM) has thrown its weight behind the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC)’s competition of building 8-seater for 12 Nigerian universities.

The universities are spread across all the geo-political zones of the country.

The frontline auto company in Nigeria is a major supporter of the competition which kicked off last week with the commissioning of eight units of EV bus shuttle at the University of Lagos, with representatives from different schools gracing the event.

The competition is expected to last for six months.
Apart from supporting the event, a technical representative of LSM is also part of the jury which is made up of auto industry players, academia and the NADDC.

Commenting on the development, the Managing Director of LSM, Mr. Taiwo Shittu, said, “We as a company like to support and encourage young talents who have interest in the automotive industry.

“It is also our own way of supporting the NADDC initiative of encouraging young brains in the country
“Encouraging and training the youths is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility. Before now, every years, we take in youths into our facility and train them, even while in training, we give them stipends, and we are still doing this.”

The MD added, “We do not stop at training and giving stipends, we also provide basic workshop tools to those we train, and employ some of them.”

The participating universities in the competition are Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Uthman Danfodio University, Sokoto; Modibbo Adama University, Yola; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Abuja; and University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

Others are University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Benin; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife; University of Lagos; and University of Port Harcourt.

At the commissioning event, which was held at the University of Lagos, and witnessed by auto industry operators, academia, top NADDC staff and the press, the Director General of the NADDC, Mr. Joseph Osanipin, stated that the Council would give its full support to the competition, tasking the contenders, made up of students and supported by lecturers from the concerned schools, to come up with practical and workable solutions suitable for the Nigerian environment.

He promised that the NADDC would not stop at the design stage at the end of the competition, but also take steps to involve auto players to develop the final products after the competition.

“Today, I challenge the Nigerian university community to dream big; I challenge you to do even better than our expectations. Let us have a vehicle of our dream. We are going to work with universities, polytechnics and technical schools,” the DG said.

NADDC Director in charge of Vehicle Electrification, Engr. A.N Ayinde, added that the competition would generate ideas and provide students with opportunity to embrace global best practices.

The kick-start of the competition was concluded with the inspection of some environment friendly auto brands such as electric vehicles and compressed natural gas-powered vehicles displayed by LSM.

One of the participants, Senior Vice President, Technical of Oando Clean Energy, Mr. Adeyemi Adebajo, stated that Oando is concerned about the environment and reasoned that environment, economy and society are key in sustainable transportation.

In his submission, a lecturer from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Ozoemena Ani, commended the initiative and pledged the collaboration of the academia.