Auto
Toyota Nigeria celebrates Auto Company of the Decade award

Toyota Nigeria celebrates Auto Company of the Decade award
Toyota (Nigeria) Limited (TNL) ended the 2024 business year on a high emerging as the Auto Company of the Decade.
The company excited about the honour it received at the recently held Nigeria Auto Journalists Association in Lagos, which was one of the biggest awards at the event.
It was the first time any automobile firm in Nigeria would be given such major honour at the annual awards, which entered its 13th edition last year.
This is the second landmark honour bestowed on the TNL at the close of the 2024 business year.
Just a few days earlier, the company was named as one of the top 50 brands in Nigeria, an annual assessment of top brands in the country.
TNL commenced operations in 1996 as a wholly indigenous and privately owned company, after it was appointed by Toyota Motor Corporation as its sole distributor in Nigeria.
The company, in partnership with its seven accredited dealers, has remained a forerunner in the marketing of Toyota products in the Nigerian automobile industry, providing exceptional services in auto sales, services, and distribution of genuine parts.
The firm has over the years consistently won many NAJA awards and other top-rated laurels for its quality products and services in the automotive industry.
Apart from vehicle sale, the company says it has invested heavily in after-sale service delivery by constructing a global Standard Service Centre in Lagos, which also doubles as a Dojo Centre, (a Japanese word for a place of immersive or experiential learning) for specialised services to customers and on-the-job training for its dealers.
The firm recalled its efforts in building the brand, noting, “In its early days in Nigeria, the Toyota brand had to strive for acceptance, particularly in the face of stiff competition from the established brands at the time.
“The ingenuity and resourcefulness of the board of directors under the indefatigable chairmanship of Chief Michael Ade. Ojo OON, coupled with his vision, industry, and tireless commitment to the brand for over 50 years, paved the way for the acceptance and success of the Toyota brand in Nigeria.”
Reacting to the honours including being rated as one of the top 50 brands in Nigeria this year, Managing Director of TNL, Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo, said the company was excited and he attributed the success of the company to its loyal customers.
“I am quite elated and grateful to our esteemed customers as we celebrate a remarkable achievement – being recognised as the top automotive brand among the Most Popular and Top 50 brands in Nigeria (powered by Brand Nigeria).
“This could not have been achieved without the patronage and loyalty of our customers,” he said.
The Toyota (Nigeria) boss also said this was a recognition of the company’s latest huge investment in innovation and new technologies in the auto industry.
Apart from adequately stocking quality spare parts, it also has continued to raise topnotch workers in the face of challenging economy.
“As a matter of fact, our success would also not have been possible without the significant investments we have made vis-à-vis our well-stocked spare parts stores, latest technologies in the industry and most importantly, our people.
“Our team of dedicated professionals; from our skilled technicians to our committed staff members and accredited dealers, are the driving force behind our achievements.”
Auto
LAMATA announces 18% increase in BRT fares

LAMATA announces 18% increase in BRT fares
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has announced an increase of 18 per cent in fares under its bus reform initiative (BRI) scheme
The popular Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) is part of the Bus Reform Initiative Schemes,
LAMATA in a statement on Thursday therefore sought the cooperation of Lagos residents for new fares expected to commence on February 17.
It said the fare adjustment was due to rising operational costs and to ensure the continued availability of bus services for commuters in Lagos.
Part of the statement read, “Please be informed that there will be an 18 per cent increase in the bus fare on all Bus Reform Initiative (BRI) schemes.
“The fare increase is because of the increase in the cost of operations and the need to ensure that buses keep running and guarantee your movement around Lagos.
“We seek your understanding and cooperation.”
Auto
ABC Transport at 32: How we stayed afloat, achieved milestones, by MD Nneji

ABC Transport at 32: How we stayed afloat, achieved milestones, by MD Nneji
Managing Director of ABC Transport Plc, Mr. Jude Nneji, has flashed back to the road the company has travelled since inception in 1993, declaring that there have been some daunting challenges on the way.
He however disclosed that through a combination of astute management and support of loyal customers, the company was able to navigate the challenges to stay afloat and achieve some milestones that define the road transport industry today.
Nneji, who spoke on the 32nd anniversary of ABC Transport, stated “There have been challenges in the past 32 years. But we were braced for them. You know it is not easy for a company to survive three decades in Nigeria.”
He said currently, the company was focusing on rebranding and consolidating on the achievements of the past three decades.
“We are doing a lot of renewal; the logo change, the rebranding, and re-fleeting, among other things, just to move on to the next stage.
“We are consolidating the divisions we have. For now, focus is on our haulage and cargo divisions, as well as our Driver Training Academy (DTA), which is turning a lot of graduates into the professional driver market.”
The success story of ABC Transport Plc began on February 13, 1993, when five mini buses emblazoned with the ABC Transport reindeer logo departed Owerri on a maiden trip to Lagos.
Little did the observers know that the vehicles were paving the way for what is today the foremost land transport company in Nigeria.
The history-making Toyota Hiace buses were procured with a loan from Diamond Bank (now Access Bank) by a youthful and audacious entrepreneur, Mr. Frank Nneji OON, who had the dream of delivering world-class transportation services to Nigerians.
ABC Transport was not among the first generation of luxury bus transporters where a pathfinder like Ekene Dili Chukwu (founded by the late Chief Augustine Ilodobe) belongs. But with Frank Nneji in the driver’s seat, it revolutionised road transportation and set the standards for modern, long distance passenger services.
As the founder of ABC Transport, Frank Nneji recalled in a recent interview that it was the unpleasant personal experience he had during a trip from Owerri to Lagos on board a bus which finally broke down at Ore, that led to the conception of the idea of a modern transport company in 1993.
The objective then, according to him, was to set standards in luxury bus transportation with emphasis on passenger comfort, safety and strict adherence to schedules.
Today, like the oak tree, ABC Transport has not only scored many firsts in road transportation, but has also grown to become a household name in the industry, with a fleet of about 500 vehicles and a network of over 90 locations across the country and in West Africa.
Following the success recorded in the beginning, the ABC Transport fleet was sustainably expanded with the injection of more mini buses and state-of-the-art luxury coaches .
This earned for the company the travellers’ acclaim across the country as the first to introduce air-conditioned coaches with toilet facilities, as well as on-board entertainment featuring video screens and mid-journey refreshment.
One of the innovations introduced by the management in the years following that inaugural trip by the five mini buses was the ABC Customers’ Forum hitherto unknown to the country’s road transport industry.
At the event, which was sustained annually until a few years ago, the management interacted with the customers, and fielded questions, complaints and suggestions on how to improve the company’s services.
On July 16, 2004, ABC Transport scored yet another first with its Coach West Africa – the ECOWAS region’s first scheduled coach service taking off from Lagos (through Cotonou in Benin Republic, and Lome in Togo) to Accra, Ghana, and back, on board the purpose-built coaches.
Online ticket booking, which has since been embraced by most luxury bus transport operators, was first introduced by ABC Transport in 2007, making it easier for travellers to book their trips and pay from the comfort of their homes and offices.
A mobile app was subsequently introduced to enhance the self-service.
Similarly, ABC Transport was the first to establish ultramodern terminals in Nigeria and beyond, with some of them in Lagos, Abuja, Owerri and Port Harcourt.
A high reputation for innovation, outstanding safety records and unique customer experience has since combined with the founder’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence as the driving force behind the company’s success.
Over the past 32 years, ABC Transport has achieved numerous milestones, including, of course, the addition of ABC Cargo Express, the logistics and warehousing division; and ABC Hauls, the haulage services arm.
With the recent deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks, to boost its cement haulage capacity at Lafarge Africa Plc’s cement factory, ABC Hauls and Cargo Express account for about 50 percent of ABC Transport operations.
ABC Hauls is one of Lafarge’s major transporters for the distribution of cement around the country.
ABC Cargo Express, which commenced operations also as a division, has now grown to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the parent company. This was necessitated by its rapid growth and its ability to focus on the innovations going on in the logistics sector.
Through the Cargo division, the company moves hundreds of thousands of packages around West Africa, empowering many businesses with its dedicated e-commerce services.
ABC Transport also has the record of being the first, and so far, the only road transport company to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Along with a seamless succession plan which ensured that the former Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Jude Nneji, took over from Mr. Frank Nneji, as the managing director, the company has been enjoying considerable stability, liquidity and ease of management.
The older Nneji (founder and former managing director) has since moved up to higher responsibilities, including playing a role as a director of the company .
The company has also been recognised for its outstanding performance in the transport industry, winning several awards and accolades both nationally and internationally.
Driver Training Academy, another offshoot of ABC Transport, and the first of its kind in Nigeria, graduated its first set of trainees in 2004.
The Academy was founded with a mission to ‘prepare and produce’ for Nigeria’s motoring environment, law-abiding and safety-conscious drivers who appreciate the value of human life.
It admits trainees from within ABC Transport and other organisations wishing to benefit from the comprehensive training packages approved by the Federal Road Safety Corps.
In 2012, ABC Transport ventured into auto production with its 50 percent stake in Transit Support Services Ltd (TSS), which is into the assembly of heavy and light duty trucks with its flagship brands as Shacman (including fire trucks), SETRAC CNG buses, as well as Forland Trucks.
TSS also provides to the local automotive market Asiastar luxury buses and BAW mini buses and ambulances assembled at its facility in Emene, Enugu.
This is in addition to the sale of automotive parts and after-sales support services
With its DTA, Cargo Express, TSS, and ABC Hauls, ABC Transport is the most diversified transport company in the West African sub-region, having also launched a hospitality arm with City Transit Inn in the Utako area of Abuja, to serve travellers arriving the Federal Capital Territory with budget accommodation.
Looking back to 1993, the founder recalled that to succeed, his management adopted, as a matter of policy, an uncompromising focus on the quality of service ABC rendered and gradually began resetting the standards for road transport operations in Nigeria
This they did by providing a comfortable and suitable alternative road travel means for the discerning traveller who would have otherwise opted to fly.
Thus, the average customer in Nigeria’s travel space embraced the new innovative, more comfortable, timeous, customer-centric and safety-conscious services ABC Transport provided at considerably cheaper rate than what it cost to travel by air.
As the management engages top gear in its current renewal efforts, the Managing Director says he is grateful to God, “and all our customers who have kept faith with us and kept faith with the brand. We will not let them down.”
Auto
Dana Motors releases more Kia EV, CNG vehicles to Nigerian market

Dana Motors releases more Kia EV, CNG vehicles to Nigerian market
Dana Motors Limited has introduced more eco-friendly automobiles comprising electric vehicles (EVs) and compressed natural gas (CNG) cars and buses to the Nigerian market.
It announced this in a new statement, stressing that it is part of its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change in the country.
It said Dana Motors would continue to be at the forefront of promoting eco-friendly vehicles and transportation solutions in the country.
“We are proud to be leading the charge in sustainable transportation solutions in Nigeria,” Jacky Hathiramani, Managing Director of Dana Motors Limited, was quoted in the statement.
“Our commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting eco-friendly transportation options is unwavering, and only recently, we released about 27 units of our locally assembled 45 seater CNG buses from our state-of-the-heart vehicle assembly plant in Lagos.
”Also expected to be released soon are our EVs as part of efforts to support President Tinubu’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions with a just transition to clean and renewable energy, promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth.”
The statement by the firm said for over two decades, Dana Motors Limited has been at the forefront of Nigeria’s automotive industry.
It stated, “Since its inception in 2002, the company has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation, introducing luxury vehicles and auto finance schemes that have made car ownership more accessible to Nigerians.
“The company’s Managing Director, Jacky Hathiramani, a Nigerian businessman and industrialist, was deservedly recognized as Auto Personality of the year by the Nigerian Auto Journalist (NAJA), not just for his zeal and contribution to the development of the Nigerian auto industry, but his visionary leadership and Dana Motors’ unwavering commitment to excellence.
“As Nigeria continues to navigate the challenges of economic growth and environmental sustainability, Dana Motors Limited; a multiple award winning Auto Company, remains a shining example of innovative leadership and corporate responsibility. “The auto company’s dedication to the Nigerian market for decades is not just a beacon of hope for a sustainable future but a shining example of vision and strategic partnerships.”
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