By Moses Akaigwe
“The show must go on. We know there are daunting challenges in the auto sector and the economy generally. But, we are determined to hold the Motor Fair & Autoparts Africa Expo in order to avail the teeming investors that have indicated interest, as well as the visitors, the veritable meeting point they look forward to annually. Moreover, the sector must not be allowed to die”
This was how Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, responded to a journalist’s question on why the Organising Committee of the 17TH Lagos Motor Fair & 10TH Autoparts Africa Expo Nigeria, which he chairs, plans to swim against the tide of harsh economic realities to hold the concurrent fairs from tomorrow.
Agwu, who is also the Managing Director of a firm of fair organisers, BKG Exhibitions Limited, disclosed that the forthcoming edition of the all-inclusive event is aimed at driving more investment into automobile spare parts and accessories manufacturing in Nigeria.
The event scheduled to hold from tomorrow, Tuesday, June 6 to 9, 2023, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, is also expected to boost aftermarket activities in the sector with the objective of showcasing the capacities and potentials of this important sector of the economy.
He argued that Nigeria has all it takes to be the major hub of auto spare parts manufacture in particular and the larger automotive sector business in general in the West African region as well as other parts of Africa.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee further revealed that to achieve this goal, the event would focus on Business-To-Business interface between the exhibiting Original Equipment Manufacturers [OEMs] and dealers in auto parts from major markets across Nigeria and some neighbouring countries.
Assuring that the dealers in various auto parts markets within and outside Nigeria and the west coast, he stated, have been reached out to, The BKG Managing Director, said, “We are aiming at using such platform to see to working business partnerships between them and the OEMs that will lead to them setting up plants in Nigeria to manufacture parts and accessories.
“The event is aiming at spurring the rapid springing up of companies that manufacture these components and use it to enhance the policy leading to the establishment of a virile automotive sector in the country.”
Agwu advised the Federal Government to focus more on spare parts manufacturing in place of auto assembly, arguing that spare parts is the place where the real technology transfer takes place, because it involves precision and proper planning more than the coupling that takes place in the latter.
He further drew the attention of government to the situation in the industry, “Organising the event has been very challenging we are only trying to find a way to push it as a key event in the sector we cannot but use the event to draw the necessary attention to the sector. Government should bail out the automobile companies operating in the country.
“It is a sector that affects virtually everything. It occupies prime position in the economy. If it is not done now it will in the very near future affect a whole lot in the life of the people and the economy. The challenges of hosting this event are becoming daunting, but our drive in continuing is that the sector must not be allowed to die.
Urging every stakeholder to endeavour to show up at the event, Agwu added that doing so would be an opportunity for all to show the strength and ruggedness of the players in the sector – the policy inconsistencies notwithstanding.
He was, however, elated that in conjunction with the foreign partners, “we have reached out to many companies, and happily, the response has been tremendous, and we are expecting over 100 OEMs from China, India, South Korea, South Africa, Singapore, Turkey, Nigeria, etc. Major automobile distributing/manufacturing companies in Nigeria will also be showcasing at the event.”
He listed some companies and brands that had confirmed their participation in the exhibition as Coscharis Motors, 11Plc [formerly Mobil]-Gold Participant, Michelin Nigeria, WestStar Associate, Hubei Shuangju Industry &Trade Company Limited, and Xgm Corporation Limited.
The list also includes, but not limited to, Quanzhou Mingyang Automobile Parts Co. Ltd.; Xingtai Changshuo Mechanical Parts Co. Ltd.; Tantivy Automotive Co. Ltd.; and Shijiazhuang City Kabang Valve Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
“The Autoparts Expo segment of the event is doing well and we are looking at involving a lot of countries in West and Central Africa in the edition. This we have kick-started by extending invites to players in the auto parts business in those countries to visit the fair. We are aiming at using the Nigerian Autoparts markets as the hub of the sector’s business in Africa.
The intention is to make them [players from other countries] to be buying from the Nigerian markets. In no distant future, it will become a big event spreading to other countries in the continent. Nigeria has the resources and capacity to play such a role and it will be a very big disservice to Nigeria and its people if another African country does this ahead of Nigeria.