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Kia Motors Nigeria has restated its commitment to meeting the local demands of Nigerians with the capacity to also export its Made-in-Nigeria vehicles to neighbouring countries. Kia restated this in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, stressing that as an advocate of the country’s auto policy and a major stakeholder in the industrialisation of the economy, its plant in Lagos has the capacity to produce 27,000 cars per annum.
The statement is coming amid the current wave in the economy which has continued to dampen the spirit of industrialists thus making policy makers intensify their efforts in ameliorating the economic condition. Kia maintained that in an expected reaction from the economic instability, harried automakers and some stakeholders in the country remain perturbed as economic growth declines and consumer buying power dips to a record low.
Recall that on the heels of the establishments of assembly plants, Kia Motors Nigeria localised the production of its cars in the country. In a move that’s reassuring and in consonance to the policy framework by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Kia has also remained committed to making Nigeria a manufacturing hub of automobiles in sub-Saharan Africa.
Undoubtedly, the present economic challenges can be daunting, but the company said it remains undeterred and committed to strengthening the nation’s economy through the automobile industry. It disclosed that since the inception of its plant’s operations, all Kia cars are produced locally and are manufactured to the exact standard of the brand’s global quality.
Kia’s footprint in the country cannot be over-emphasised and with showrooms spread across the states in all the regions of the nation, the company has taken its cars to the hinterlands, bringing it closer to teeming customers.
Equally important, Kia’s after-sales service centres remain one of the best in the industry with its exceptional service deliveries to the customers, thereby making the Kia model range of cars a preferred automobile brand in the country.
There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria’s automobile industry is one of the worst hit sectors in the current downturn as the nation’s economy is at its lowest ebb. However, a return to the hitherto influx of imported used cars will recline the trajectory growth of the industry.
Reeling some appreciable gains for the past three years, the auto policy by the NADDC has led to the setting up of auto assembly plants to supply the vehicular requirements of the nation, an initiative many applauded as a move towards economic industrialisation.
Typical of every developmental policy across the globe, there is always a teething period prior to the realisation of its full gains. The current Nigerian auto policy can be likened to the teething period. However, with a concerted effort by the government and unalloyed support from the stakeholders, the policy will help advance the economy and increase the GDP of the country.
At this phase of the industry development, it’s apparently evident that the auto assembly plants in the country, particularly Kia, have the capacity to meet the demands of the Nigerian market. Having locally produced the newly-launched 2017/18 KIA Sportage, Optima and Sorento amongst others, the made-in-Nigeria KIA cars will continue to remain a catalyst for the nation’s automotive development.
