..:: AUTO REPORT AFRICA ::..
Related Articles
…Invites Automotive Council boss to its assembly plant in Lagos
The Stallion Group Nigeria said it would have not less than 30 percent local content in its buses and trucks with local components from plastics, rubber, fibre and petrochemicals if the local components makers were able to upscale the quality of their products to acceptable international standards.
The Group revealed the plan when its Chairman, Mr. Pavir Singh and Managing Director of VON Nigeria, Mr. Tokunbo Aromolaran, led a team from Stallion Group on a visit to the Director General of National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Jelani Aliyu, in Abuja.
Stallion Group Nigeria owns Stallion Nissan Motors Nigeria Limited, Stallion Motors Limited, VON Automobile Nigeria Limited and Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited, producing Nissan, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Ashok Leyland brands with models ranging from cars, SUVs, pick-up vans, medium and large capacity buses, light trucks, medium and heavy-duty trucks as well as military vehicles.
Singh congratulated the NADDC boss, Aliyu, on his appointment and expressed the readiness of local auto manufacturers to form a very close partnership with him. He also invited Aliyu to come on a working visit to his vehicle plant along Badagry Expressway in Lagos.
Singh pointed out that all the vehicles being produced in Nigeria by his conglomerate were models of international reputable brands; stressing that very strict due diligence was put in place to ensure that products from the Nigerian plant were of the same international standards and quality compared to any other produced across the globe.
Speaking in the same vein, Managing Director, VON, Aromolaran, called on the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to put in place Nigerian standards for the automotive industry and to also develop the necessary expertise required to conduct safety checks on all automotive products produced in the country.
Earlier at the meeting, the Director-General of National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Jelani Aliyu, had expressed the determination of the Council to surmount all obstacles towards putting in place an affordable vehicle finance scheme in order to enhance the purchasing power of a large number of Nigerians to buy brand new made in Nigeria vehicles.
He said that local assembly plants were expected to roll out “vehicles of international standards, very good quality, safe and ones that support the protection of the environment.”
The NADDC Director General maintained that Nigeria must strive, not just to industrialise, but to do things the right way; adding that the Council would give necessary support to local manufacturers while the Nigerian auto policy would be implemented at a higher momentum.
He, however, challenged vehicle assembly plants in the country to start acquiring technologies and facilities for the production of vehicles that are environment-friendly.
