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(By Olaolu Olusina, who just returned from South Africa) Top officials of the German luxury carmaker, BMW, are expected in Nigeria this week from South Africa to formalise new working agreement and other business relationships with the BMW sole dealership in the country, Coscharis Motors.
Autoreportafrica.com was reliably informed in Durban, South Africa, penultimate week, during the launch of the new MINI Countryman, that the team, will consist of Edward Makwana, the Group Products Communication Manager for BMW Group South Africa and BMW sub-saharan Africa Region, and other top marketing officials from the South African regional office in Midrand.
“I’m aware of a plan by our marketing team to visit the Nigerian dealership in Lagos in April,” a top BMW official who did not want her name in print told this reporter, even as she added, “ I don’t know for now who will be on the delegation.”
A top official of the Nigerian dealership also confided in Autoreportafrica.com in Lagos last Thursday that the BMW officials from South Africa will be arriving Nigeria this week.
“Yes, we are expecting them this week,” this reporter was told, “They should be here with us in Lagos next (this) week.”
Issues to be discussed during the visit, according to our sources, will include the role of Nigeria in the newly-created sub-sahara Africa Regional operations of the BMW Group as well as new products for the Nigerian market under the new regional arrangement.
Coscharis Motors used to deal directly with Germany for all its BMW products requirements and other logistics support. However, with the new regional arrangement, BMW products for the Nigerian market as well as for the other 10 markets in the newly-established BMW Group sub-sahara Africa Region will come through South Africa . New products being expected in Nigeria between May and June, according to official sources in South Africa, include the newly-launched BMW 5 Series and the 2017 all-new MINI Countryman.
It was reliably gathered that official dates for the launches of the new products in Nigeria are expected to be scheduled after the crucial meeting with the BMW officials in Lagos this week.
