Made in Nigeria Vehicles: In a recent interview on channel Television, Mr. Toby Ajayi, the CEO of Nord Motors, a prominent Nigerian automobile manufacturing company, highlighted the exceptional quality of vehicles produced locally. He firmly asserted, “The quality of Made Nigerian Vehicles, for my brand, is as good as the vehicles from anywhere in the world. We even have a vehicle that has the five-star Euro NCAP rating, which means it’s the safest vehicle, as safe as any vehicle because the five-star is the highest rating in the world.”
Ajayi emphasized that the vehicles are not only elegant but also highly secure. “We decided to do this testing and bring these vehicles in and assemble them in Nigeria so Nigerians can drive not just elegant vehicles. You can ask around for those who know our vehicles; they’re really elegant, and they’re also very safe.”
Sourcing Quality Components for Made in Nigeria Vehicles
Mr. Ajayi underlined the importance of quality in vehicle manufacturing, explaining, “When you make cars, it’s an aggregate of the components, the skill of the people, and the production process. We get our components from some of the biggest and best OEMs in the world. The same places that manufacture the chips of the engines of the transmission of your most trusted brands in Japan are the same places we get our vehicle parts from. The same places. So, you can understand the same quality.”
This ensures that the Made in Nigeria Vehicles (vehicles produced in Nigeria) meet the high standards set by the global automobile industry.
Challenges of Low Demand for Made in Nigeria Vehicles
Addressing the significant gap between the supply capacity and the demand for locally manufactured vehicles, Mr. Ajayi noted that the demand is considerably low. “Yes, we have a demand for just 19,000, I think, the last time, from a country. We Nigerians buy 500,000 vehicles a year, but vehicles or 500,000, new, used, everything, vehicles and motorcycles, actually, and tricycles, everything combined together. And I think for brand new, not made in Nigeria, just the total brand new, is just 19,000.”
He emphasized the need to increase the acceptance of Nigerian-made vehicles among the populace.
Nord Motors’ Expansion Plans
Discussing the expansion efforts of Nord Motors, Mr. Ajayi mentioned, “I’ll talk about my factory; we have two factories, both in Lagos, one inside the University of Osun, another one in Epe. In one shift, normally, most factories do two, even three shifts, just one shift in two factories, we can do about 10,000 units in one shift. But we really need to produce and sell more than 100,000 units a year, maybe 150 a year.”
This highlights the substantial gap between the production capacity and the current output, indicating a need for increased demand for locally manufactured vehicles.
National Concerns Over Supporting Local Production
Unfortunately, Mr. Toby Ajayi is not the only prominent figure expressing concerns about bolstering the value of the Nigerian Naira through greater attention to local production. Recently, Ben Bruce Murray voiced a similar perspective, stressing the importance of buying Nigerian-made goods and services. He argued, “If we don’t persist in buying made in Nigeria goods and services, we will perish economically.”
Changing Cultural Perceptions of Local Products
A recurring problem in Nigeria is the prevailing cultural belief that foreign-made products are superior to their local counterparts. Many Nigerians still favor imported items over those produced within the country. This mindset has hindered the growth of Nigerian industries and is a cause for concern among industry leaders like Mr. Ajayi.
The Call to Promote Locally-Made Products
In conclusion, there is a pressing need for Nigerians to support local industries and products, particularly the automotive sector. The lack of demand for Nigerian-made vehicles is a challenge that the industry faces, despite its capacity for producing high-quality vehicles. Initiatives such as “BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira” are crucial for economic development. By embracing locally made products and advocating for their use, Nigerians can contribute to the country’s economic growth and stability.
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