Rolls-Royce, Daewoo gave my father breakthrough - Lanre Shittu Motors MD, Taiwo Shittu - Newstrends
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Rolls-Royce, Daewoo gave my father breakthrough – Lanre Shittu Motors MD, Taiwo Shittu

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Rolls-Royce, Daewoo gave my father breakthrough – Lanre Shittu Motors MD, Taiwo Shittu

Lanre Shittu Motors’ Managing Director, Mr Taiwo Shittu, was recently crowned Nigeria’s Auto Personality of the Year and the late father and founder of the auto company received a posthumous award for his developmental strides in the sector.

The MD, in this interview, reflects on the implications of these awards, the genesis of the company and its current state as well as other automotive industry issues

How do you feel winning the Auto Personality of the Year award?

First, I have to express gratitude to Almighty Allah. I thank Him for the opportunity given to me. I feel happy to be so honoured. I know now people are watching everything everyone is doing in the industry. This award, I know, is as a result of hard work. This also means working harder henceforth. One has set the pace; one cannot therefore afford to lower the standards or go down.
I also see this as an opportunity to do more for the industry and ensure that it does not collapse.

Where do you hope to take the company in the next five years?

I give God the glory for what we’ve done so far. The credit goes to my late father Alhaji Razaq Alanni Olanrewaju Shittu, for building the brand name. There is nothing like a good name. If you don’t leave anything for your children other than a good name, the sky is the limit for them. In our own case, he left us money and the good name.
We can’t thank him enough for leaving us with a good name. You can imagine that everywhere we turn to in the country, once we mention we are Lanre Shittu’s sons, we are ushered in immediately. People would say ‘Your father was a good man. He won’t cheat if you did any business with him. His word was his bond; he never broke his promises’. I have heard this many times. And the only thing we can do is to build on this legacy.
In the next five years, I see us growing the LSM brand name to become a sought-after brand in Nigeria. We are starting off with the commercial vehicles. Already, we have the LSM-branded CNG buses, 100 per cent CNG buses, in Nigeria. Right now, we are penetrating the market with the CNG buses. We want to bring in the smaller buses – the 18-seater and 11-seater buses (korope). We have the pickup too, which is also a commercial vehicle, lined up.
From experience, I can tell you that once the commercial sector has tested and found your brand worthy, it will be very easy to migrate to the passenger cars.
When the commercial vehicles are doing well and there is no downtime, you are in business. By the time you bring in the passenger vehicles, it will be a walkover.
One of the reasons we are coming out with the LSM brand is to immortalise our late father’s name.

We see ourselves taking a big chunk of the commercial vehicle segment in Nigeria in the next five years and making the LSM a household name in Nigeria. Lanre Shittu Motors as a company is a household name already, doing other automakers brands. But we want to shift the focus to the LSM brand with high after-sale service. We had represented a lot of brands in the past such as Mack, Yutong, Sany and JAC; we have learnt so much in 43 years from the industry on how to build a brand to penetrate the market – the support, communication. The good name and goodwill will be added advantage for us.

What is the secret behind the success of the Lanre Shittu Motors even after the demise of the founder?

I will say it’s God; the good legacy left behind by the founder, our father, and the unity among the 20 of us – his children, for trusting and believing in me to lead the business. A lot businesses collapse after the death of the owners. Once a business founder is dead, the next you hear is that a fight has broken out and while one person is taking the arm, another is claiming the leg, the other is going for the body. And in six months, the whole empire is gone down.
In our case, we have 20 siblings that are cooperative and believe in my ability to lead the business with my other brothers.
We had a father who never spoiled us. He taught us sincerity, commitment and accountability. All these are coming to play to make his business and legacies live after his death. Our target is to make it live to the next generation; that’s when we can say we are really successful.

What is the relationship between Lanre Shittu Motors and the Mack truck brand in Nigeria?

We still buy spare parts from Mack to support the truck brand in Nigeria. We sold the last Mack truck in Nigeria. No other auto company aw we speak has brought any Mack truck into the country. We are still supporting the brand. Some of my teams are in big oil and gas companies in the South-South catering to their Mack trucks. Our mission is to be one of the best auto solution providers with perfect after-sale service in the country. So we still support every brand that we have done in the past with after-sale service. That way, it will be easier for us to shift the customers to our own newer brand. It is the support they are buying now, not the brand.

Are the Mack trucks sold eight years ago still on the road in Nigeria?

Yes, they’re still on the road. I sold 30 Mack trucks last month.

Are you partnering other automakers to produce the LSM brand of vehicles?

We are partnering reputable automakers. For us at the LSM, we are careful not to select as partners anyone not in the top three of the segment of vehicle we’re doing in that country. For instance, in the our pickup segment, we are going to China for the selection of partners. Our target is for the first or the second in that country’s pickup.

Where are you in the CNG buses now?
For the CNG buses, we are assembling in our own brand name LSM. This is a new opportunity. It was a big risk we took; but it’s a risk that is paying off because we believe in the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We knew when he said fuel subsidy was gone, the next thing would be CNG-powered vehicles. It was clear that Nigerians would not run to electric vehicles as an immediate option.

Electric vehicles can only be driven by solar in this country. The high inflation has knocked off the national electricity grid to drive the EVs. You need an investment of over N300 million to have a commercial electric charging station. How many Nigerians can afford this?

Are you saying Nigeria is not ripe for electric vehicles?
Nigeria is ripe for EVs but we’re not yet there. But we’re there on CNG, with the government leading the initiative and abundance of natural gas. I see a lot CNG stations fast coming up. Lagos, Benin, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Ilorin among others are cities where CNG refilling stations are springing up.
The CNG idea is taking shape. A trip to the South-East now costs N53,000 per person (I was told). But with N72,000 of CNG, you can almost fill the tank of a bus and drive to the East conveniently. With a mass transit CNG bus, you can take a large number of people to a 400km destination on N72,000 worth of CNG. You cannot get that anywhere.

Apart from the high capacity CNG buses, our 18-seater and 11-seater will come out early next year. Thereafter, we will move into the passenger vehicles.

Are you planning to go into the coaches for long distance travel?

We missed the business this year. It requires adequate planning. We intend to go into it next year. It should be around September next year in preparation for the end of the year travels.

How did your father, founder of LSM, Alhaji Olanrewaju Shittu, start the automobile business?

He started the automobile business small, with three vehicles at Aguda, in the Surulere area of Lagos.
It was from a shoe business that he switched over to the auto business.
In starting, he travelled with his wife out of the country to buy things including vehicles around 1978. He bought the vehicles in Valencia, Spain.

 

Shoe and car business are not related. How did he suddenly develop interest in automobile business?

He just felt like changing his line of business. It was Debasco Motors Chairman, Otunba Babatunde Onakoya, that put him through. Debasco was a big auto company in Lagos at that time.

My father was seen as creditworthy, so people trusted him and were always willing to give him vehicles on credit.
He would go to Ogbomosho to buy six vehicles, by would come back to Lagos with additional six vehicles on credit. They had no doubt that he would pay back quickly.
Sometimes, he would travel as far as Kaduna to buy 12 cars from PAN, he would be the last driving the last vehicle while others were ahead driving all the way to Lagos.
This gave the auto company the strength to grow fast from the three vehicles he started with.

Which brand gave him a breakthrough?
It’s Daewoo and Rolls Royce that gave him a real breakthrough. That is why we have the signs of the two brands engraved on the wall of the LSM office at Alaka Lagos.
Lanre Shittu Motors was the only one selling the Rolls Royce then. That was in the 1990s.

Was he a car freak?

Yes, he loved cars. He used to have a Rolls Royce. But no longer had it before he died. What he had was a Mercedes-Benz Mayback. His car garage was not packed full. Even though he was a car dealer, he changed his main car every 10 years. He was a very prudent man. At the beginning of his adult life, he had many cars; in the middle, he was prudent It was at the end that he bought some flashy cars such as Lexus L600, MayBack 650 engine – at that time only he and ex-President Muhammadu Buhari had that car. He bought the car then because there were three weddings in the family. By time he died, the car had only ran 600 miles. He also had a Ford Expedition, which he liked to drive. He had a Lexus LX570 First Edition almost the same time.
He was a family-oriented man.

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Policy Bottlenecks Threaten Nigeria’s Clean Mobility Drive, LCCI Warns

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August 1, 2026

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Policy Bottlenecks Threaten Nigeria’s Clean Mobility Drive, LCCI Warns

The Chairman of the Auto and Allied Sector Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Femi Eguahide, has warned that policy inconsistencies, regulatory bottlenecks and weak coordination between the public and private sectors could derail Nigeria’s clean mobility ambitions, urging the Federal Government to deepen collaboration with industry stakeholders to accelerate the transition to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Electric Vehicles (EVs).

Speaking at the 3rd Nigeria Auto Industry Summit in Lagos on Thursday, Eguahide said the success of the Federal Government’s clean mobility agenda would depend on sustained stakeholder collaboration, policy consistency and the removal of operational challenges slowing investment and implementation.

The summit, organised by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) under the theme, “Nigeria’s Clean Mobility Future: The EV and CNG Journey Under the Bola Tinubu Administration,” brought together policymakers, regulators, automobile manufacturers, financiers, transport operators, researchers, safety agencies and development partners to chart a roadmap for accelerating Nigeria’s transition to cleaner transportation.

Eguahide acknowledged the Federal Government’s commitment to alternative energy solutions through the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), but stressed that translating policy into tangible results would require stronger coordination between government institutions and private investors.

According to him, the automotive industry remains a critical driver of industrialisation, job creation and economic growth, making it imperative for government agencies to work closely with manufacturers, assemblers, financiers and technology providers to create a more predictable and investment-friendly operating environment.

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He said effective policy implementation must be backed by continuous stakeholder engagement capable of resolving challenges surrounding vehicle conversion, local manufacturing, infrastructure development, financing and technology deployment.

Eguahide maintained that Nigeria possesses enormous potential to build a globally competitive clean mobility ecosystem, but cautioned that fragmented policies and institutional inefficiencies could slow the country’s progress if left unresolved.

He therefore urged government agencies to deepen engagement with the organised private sector to develop practical solutions that would accelerate the rollout of CNG refuelling infrastructure, EV charging networks and local automotive production.

Earlier, the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to expanding Nigeria’s clean mobility ecosystem through increased investment in infrastructure, local manufacturing and strategic partnerships.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, the Initiative’s Chief Compliance Officer, Engr. Zayyanu Tamberi Yabo, said the programme had evolved into a key pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s transport and energy reform agenda.

According to Ahmed, the Presidential Initiative was established not merely to promote alternative fuels but to build an integrated ecosystem covering infrastructure development, investment, vehicle conversion, local manufacturing, technical capacity building and consumer confidence.

“Our approach from the beginning has been to build the foundations of a sustainable industry rather than pursue isolated interventions,” he said.

He disclosed that certified CNG conversion centres had expanded significantly across the country over the past two years, while new refuelling stations were being developed through public and private sector investments.

Ahmed added that vehicle conversions continue to rise as commercial transport operators and private motorists increasingly embrace CNG because of its lower operating costs.

He also highlighted partnerships with financial institutions, energy companies and automobile manufacturers aimed at improving access to financing and accelerating the adoption of clean mobility technologies.

Despite the progress, he identified infrastructure expansion, consumer financing, local manufacturing capacity, technical training, research, innovation and standardisation as priority areas requiring sustained attention.

In his welcome address, NAJA Chairman Theodore Opara described the summit as a strategic platform for shaping the future of Nigeria’s automotive industry.

He said reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration had created fresh momentum for CNG, electric vehicles and local automotive manufacturing, adding that stronger collaboration among government, industry players and the media would be critical to sustaining the gains.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, represented by Engr. Olalekan Omoniyi, said strict compliance with internationally recognised standards would determine the success of Nigeria’s transition to EVs and CNG-powered transportation.

He disclosed that SON had developed more than 80 Nigerian Industrial Standards for CNG vehicles and equipment, as well as 87 additional standards and the National Nigeria Guideline (NNG 1214:2024) for CNG vehicle conversions.

The SON boss warned against the proliferation of uncertified conversion centres and substandard equipment, urging mandatory certification for imported and locally assembled EVs, CNG vehicles, conversion kits and charging infrastructure.

 

Policy Bottlenecks Threaten Nigeria’s Clean Mobility Drive, LCCI Warns

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FRSC Pledges Robust Safety Measures as Nigeria Accelerates EV, CNG Mobility Drive

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August 1, 2026

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FRSC Pledges Robust Safety Measures as Nigeria Accelerates EV, CNG Mobility Drive

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has declared that road safety will remain at the heart of Nigeria’s transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered transportation, pledging to strengthen regulations, enforcement and stakeholder collaboration to ensure the shift to cleaner mobility does not compromise public safety.

The Corps Marshal of ghe FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, made the declaration while delivering a keynote address at the 3rd Nigeria Auto Industry Summit organised by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) in Lagos.

The summit, themed “Nigeria’s Clean Mobility Future: The EV and CNG Journey Under the Bola Tinubu Administration,” brought together government officials, regulators, manufacturers, energy companies and other industry stakeholders to chart the future of sustainable transportation in Nigeria.

Mohammed said the growing adoption of EVs and CNG-powered vehicles presents significant opportunities for cleaner transportation, lower operating costs and improved energy security, but warned that these benefits can only be fully realised through robust safety regulations, effective enforcement and continuous collaboration among stakeholders.

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He noted that as alternative-fuel vehicles become more prevalent on Nigerian roads, regulatory institutions must evolve to address emerging technologies through specialised training, updated operational guidelines and stronger enforcement frameworks.

According to him, the FRSC has already begun positioning itself for the transition by strengthening safety regulations, engaging key stakeholders and developing operational frameworks specifically designed for EVs and CNG-powered vehicles.

The Corps Marshal stressed that Nigeria’s clean mobility agenda should not only focus on reducing carbon emissions but also on improving road safety, raising vehicle standards and building public confidence in emerging transport technologies.

He added that achieving a safe and sustainable transition would require the active participation of road users, transport operators, vehicle manufacturers, conversion centres, regulators and other critical stakeholders.

Mohammed reaffirmed the FRSC‘s commitment to working closely with government agencies, industry players and development partners to ensure that Nigeria’s journey towards cleaner transportation delivers lasting safety, environmental and economic benefits for the country.

 

FRSC Pledges Robust Safety Measures as Nigeria Accelerates EV, CNG Mobility Drive

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Pi-CNG boss: Clean mobility will cut transport cost, create jobs, power Nigeria’s economic growth

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July 31, 2026

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L-R: Representative of the Controller-General of Federal Fire Service, Badmus Abdulsamad; representative of the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Engr. Olalekan Omoniyi; Director, Public Relations, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mrs. Suzan Taiwo; Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Shehu Mohammed; National Chairman of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA), Mr. Theodore Opara; Head of Regulatory Compliance, Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG), Engr. Zayannu Yabo; Deputy Managing Director, CFAO Mobility, Mr. Kunle Jaiyesimi; Chairman, Auto Sectoral Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Femi Eguaikhide and MD, TSS, Mr. Frank Nneji; at the 3rd Nigeria Auto Industry Summit held at Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos...on Thursday July 30, 2026.

Pi-CNG boss: Clean mobility will cut transport cost, create jobs, power Nigeria’s economic growth

 

The Federal Government has declared that Nigeria’s transition to compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles (EVs) is no longer an environmental ambition but a critical economic strategy to slash transportation costs, strengthen energy security, create jobs and unlock new investments across the automotive value chain.

Making the declaration at the 3rd Nigeria Auto Industry Summit (NAISU) organised by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) in Lagos, the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, said clean mobility had become a central pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s transport and energy reforms.

Delivering a keynote address titled, “Nigeria’s Clean Mobility Future: The EV and CNG Journey Under the Bola Tinubu Administration,” Ahmed said the Presidential Initiative was established to coordinate Nigeria’s transition to cleaner transportation by building a sustainable ecosystem for CNG and electric mobility.

He explained that the Initiative’s mandate extended beyond promoting alternative fuels to attracting investments, expanding refuelling and charging infrastructure, supporting vehicle conversion, strengthening local manufacturing, developing technical skills and boosting consumer confidence.

According to him, the programme was conceived following the removal of fuel subsidy to provide Nigerians with a practical and affordable transport alternative by leveraging the country’s abundant natural gas resources.

“Our focus from the beginning has been to build the foundation of a sustainable industry rather than pursue isolated interventions,” Ahmed said, noting that Pi-CNG & EV has worked closely with regulators, investors, vehicle manufacturers, conversion firms, financial institutions, development partners, transport unions and state governments.

Reviewing the Initiative’s achievements over the past two years, he said Nigeria’s CNG ecosystem has expanded rapidly, with more certified conversion centres established across the country and refuelling infrastructure growing through public and private sector investments.

He added that vehicle conversions have continued to rise as commercial transport operators and private motorists increasingly embrace the lower operating costs of CNG, while thousands of technicians have been trained to ensure safe and professional conversion services nationwide.

Ahmed also disclosed that strategic partnerships with financial institutions, energy companies, vehicle manufacturers and state governments are helping to improve access to financing, stimulate infrastructure development and accelerate the adoption of clean mobility solutions.

To strengthen safety and regulatory compliance, he announced the introduction of the Nigeria Gas Vehicle Monitoring System, which he said would enhance transparency, improve regulatory oversight and build public confidence in the conversion industry.

While acknowledging the remarkable progress recorded in CNG adoption, Ahmed stressed that the Initiative remains equally committed to advancing electric mobility, saying Nigeria’s long-term transport future would be powered by multiple clean-energy technologies.

He revealed that government is engaging manufacturers, investors and development partners on electric vehicle deployment, charging infrastructure, local assembly and policy reforms aimed at accelerating market growth.

Despite the progress, Ahmed identified infrastructure expansion, consumer financing, local manufacturing, technical capacity development, research, innovation and standardisation as key areas requiring sustained investment and collaboration.

He urged government agencies, investors, manufacturers, transport operators, financial institutions, development partners and the media to work together to overcome these challenges and build a sustainable clean mobility ecosystem.

Describing the media as a strategic partner, Ahmed called on members of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association to intensify public education on the economic, environmental and technological benefits of clean mobility.

“The transition to clean mobility is as much an information challenge as it is an infrastructure challenge. Public understanding influences public acceptance, while market confidence is built on accurate, timely and responsible information,” he said.

He pledged deeper engagement with journalists through regular technical briefings, industry dialogues and improved access to credible data to combat misinformation and promote informed public discourse.

Ahmed said Pi-CNG & EV would continue expanding CNG infrastructure nationwide, strengthen the regulatory framework, support local manufacturing and vehicle conversion capacity, deepen financing partnerships and collaborate with stakeholders to build a commercially viable clean mobility industry.

According to him, the true measure of the Initiative’s success will not be the number of conversion centres or refuelling stations established, but its ability to reduce transport costs, improve energy security, generate employment, stimulate industrial growth and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.

He commended NAJA for providing a platform for robust industry dialogue, saying stronger collaboration among government, industry players and the media would be essential to accelerating Nigeria’s clean mobility transition.

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