Isuzu president visits Nigeria, speaks on how to stimulate auto industry, new products

President of Isuzu Motors International FZE, Dubai, Mr. Mansoor Ahmed, was in Nigeria last week to assess the automaker’s business performance and how to boost it.

He canvassed more government support for local automakers and other investors in the automobile sector to stimulate economic growth.

According to him, automobile plays a vital role in the industrial development of a nation that will lead to massive job creation for the teeming youth population.

Ahmed spoke in Lagos on Thursday during the visit of the Isuzu executives’ team to the brand’s representative in Nigeria, Koncept Autocentre Limited, a Kewalram Chanrai group company.

The team including Geoffrey Mulandi, Isuzu Deputy Vice President and Sales Head for Sub-Saharan Africa; and Jijo Thomas, Country Head, Nigeria, were received by the Managing Director, Kewalram Chanrai Auto/Transport Vertical, Mr. Anil Sahgal.

Ahmed said for Nigeria to play well under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, he stressed that auto component tier 1, 2 and 3 producers should be encouraged to set up factories to produce various components like tyres, batteries, suspension and trims to get the required 30 per cent local content for auto assemblers to feed other West African nations.

The Isuzu president said, “Government needs to encourage manufacturers to come into the industry.

“There is a need for minimum viable scale to be able to manufacture locally else the business will lose money and will not be sustainable.

“It is about providing the enabling auto policy/structure or law for incentivizing local manufacturers. To motivate investors there should be preferential treatment vs imports on local manufactured vehicles.

He said Isuzu was focusing on Africa because the continent is rightfully considered as the last frontier of global growth.

He described Nigeria as the epicentre of the growth in Western Africa with the country’s huge population and size of its economy, the biggest in Africa.

Ahmed said, “For us, the strategic area for growth is the Middle East and Africa.

“Nigeria’s latent potential is enormous. It is a country with enormous resources, natural and human. It is blessed with oil and has a basket of multiple products in terms of what it has to export.

“Its huge population is also an advantage with the ensuing demographic dividend. Economic growth is based on population and consumption on the demand side.

“The country has a connected aspiring and entrepreneurial young population, a clear demographic advantage.”

Even as he affirmed that Isuzu was doing well in the light and medium duty truck segments in Nigeria, Ahmed said there was room for expansion and it could feed other nations in West Africa.

He said, “Nigeria is the leading economy in Africa and it should be steering and leading others in the auto industry.

“How do you stimulate the industry? Truck is not easy to produce; we are talking about 6,000 to 10,000 parts. There is the OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) level; there are Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3.

“Right now, a market for just 3,000 new trucks is still small size and insufficient for large investments. But with 200 million people and the economy starting to boom, it should be doing about 40,000 trucks, looking at what India is doing.”

He also shared the vision for Africa where Isuzu dreams to inspire African society to prosper thorough offering new integrated business solutions for both products and services.

He said as people’s lives are always supported by the logistics and transportation services, Isuzu has seriously been working for an enhancement of innovation in the transportation and mobility solutions to the society.

Anil, who also spoke on the brand, said Isuzu is the expert in diesel with focus on delivering top quality, reliable and durable trucks and is the global leader in the light duty and medium duty trucks.

He also commented on the government’s drive towards gas-powered vehicles in the face of rising petrol price after the removal of subsidy.

“We definitely want to support the Federal Government. But we need to have the necessary infrastructure in place like CNG filling stations sufficiently put in place to take the project far,” he said.

Mulandi in his contribution announced that the company would introduce to Nigeria, in the next one to two years, heavy duty trucks to increase Isuzu’s market share.

He also spoke on the company’s warranty and the after sales service for their customers.

“In Africa, we have standardised our warranty to three years for the light duty trucks; and two years for the medium duty. That is an indication that we care for the customers and trust our products.

According to him, “Currently, we are extending two-year or 40,000km free service including lubricants, parts and labour to all our new customers in this market.”

Hyundai Group donates $1.1m for Moroccan, Libyan recovery, offers transportation, others

Hyundai Motor Group has announced a $1.1 million contribution in aid of Morocco and Libya recovery efforts following severe earthquakes and floods that recently hit the two African countries.

The donations are coming from the four affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group (Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, and Hyundai Engineering).

A statement from Sonu Singh of the Media and Marketing at Stallion Motors, Nigeria’s representative of Hyundai Motor Group, said the funds would be channelled to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) through the Korean Red Cross.

While $ 500,000 will go to Morocco and $600,000 is the company’s contribution going to Libya’s recovery efforts.

It stated, “In addition to the financial contribution, Hyundai Motor Company Middle East and Africa Headquarters, in cooperation with its Moroccan distributor, is providing transportation for government-led initiatives for school supplies, provision of psychotherapists, and blood donations. “Furthermore, they are offering discounts on damaged vehicle parts and free inspections.

“In cooperation with its Moroccan distributor, Kia Middle East and Africa FZE will also donate ambulance vehicles to the Moroccan government and offer support vehicles for local NGOs.”

Already, the firm said Hyundai Motor’s Libyan distributors had so far supported 30 truckloads of relief supplies such as food and blankets.

It added that Hyundai Motor Company Middle East and Africa Headquarters had initiated a special programme to provide discounts on parts and free inspection of damaged vehicles.

Kia’s Libyan distributor also plans to deliver daily necessities such as water, food, and medicine to the affected areas and carry out relief activity including the provision of temporary shelters. Furthermore, Kia Middle East and Africa FZE plans to provide free vehicle maintenance services in Libya.

Hyundai Motor Group has provided donations and daily necessities to several previous major international disasters, including the earthquake in Türkiye in 2023, Hurricane Ian in the U.S. in 2022, the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia in 2018, and heavy rains in Peru/Colombia in 2017.

Dana Motors set to introduce CNG vehicles to Nigeria

Dana Motors Limited has announced plans to bring Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles to the Nigerian market.

This move, coming in the face of rising fuel prices and increase vehicle expenses, it says reflects Dana’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in Nigeria’s automotive sector.

This is contained in a statement by the company, stressing the need for more cost-effective transportation.

“Having previously introduced Nigeria’s first electric vehicle, the Kia Soul, Dana Motors Limited is now set to introduce a range of high-efficiency CNG-powered vehicles,” it said.

The statement quoted Vice Chairman of the Group, Francis Ogboro, as saying, “At Dana Motors Limited, our goal is to offer Nigerians innovative, eco-friendly, and budget-friendly automotive solutions.

“Introducing CNG-powered vehicles perfectly aligns with our vision to improve the quality of life for all Nigerians while addressing the rising cost of vehicle ownership.”

Ogboro added, “Recognizing the potential of CNG vehicles to transform public transportation, we are dedicated to making transit more affordable and accessible. Through this initiative, we aim to enhance the overall quality of life for Nigerians.”

CNG potential

Adding his voice to the new initiative, Vice President of Dana Motors Limited, Olu Tikolo, said, “Recognizing the potential of CNG vehicles to transform public transportation, we are dedicated to making transit more affordable and accessible. Through this initiative, we aim to enhance the overall quality of life for Nigerians.”

The impending launch of CNG-powered vehicles by Dana Motors Limited will significantly contribute to Nigeria’s efforts to reduce emissions, promote sustainability, and create a more affordable transportation system, according to the auto firm.

It stressed that Dana Motors aimed at reshaping the Nigerian automotive industry, forging a greener and more cost-effective future for all.