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By Moses Akaigwe
The Federal Government has, once again, been urged to urgently come out with the reviewed National Automotive Industry Development Plan [NAIDP] in order achieve the goals of the policy document which took effect in 2015..
The Managing Director of BKG Exhibitions Ltd, Ifeanyi Agwu, made the appeal, at the opening ceremony of the 16th Lagos Motor Fair & Autoparts Expo Africa at held recently in Victoria Island, Lagos.
He recommended that in order to ensure that NAIDP achieves the targets of its formulators, the reviewed document should address some of the realities and developments thrown up in the course of its implementation in the past seven years.
Agwu further remarked: “We are racing against time and it does not augur well for the stakeholders especially those that have invested billions of Naira in automobile assembling/manufacture in Nigeria.
“The {automotive} sector is very important as it shows physically the state of the economy and it generates much revenue and creates enormous employment. No serious government toys with it. It is a sector that affects virtually everything.
“If it is not rightly re-positioned now it will in the very near future negatively affect a whole lot in the life of the people and economy. Government should, therefore, parley seriously with the sector stakeholders to see how it could be made better.”
He explained why the fair was held despite daunting challenges: “This edition is holding to ensure that the automotive sector of the Nigerian economy remains on the front burner of economic discussion in Nigeria. This is informed by our resolve to be using this platform to champion the development and thriving of Nigeria’s automotive industry to fast-track its socio-economic development.
“In this edition, as we have been doing we are re-emphasizing the need to institute and drive a well-thought-out policy and programme to rejig the sector to see to making Nigeria the hub of automotive business in West Africa in particular and the entire continent in general.
“There is an urgent need for all the stakeholders to close ranks and pursue the development of the sector with more focus and dedication. They need to ensure unity of purpose and always utilise every window of opportunity such as this, to draw the attention of policy makers and implementers to the challenges in the sector.
“In unison, the stakeholders can put the sector’s issues on the front burners of economic discussion and policy in the country and ensure that it does not collapse.
“This is indeed a seriously challenging time in the automotive industry in Nigeria. It is a season that has thrown up more challenges than ever before. A lot of companies have closed shop while a large number are merely existing and direly in need of life support. This can be confirmed by the number of exhibitors in this edition. “
“Ordinarily, it is the delight and wish of any serious player in the industry to showcase amongst others but here we are witnessing the opposite.”
The BKG MD, who is also the Chairman of the organising committee, commend the: Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture [NACCIMA]; the National Automotive Design and Development Council [NADDC], and the exhibitors, for defying all odds to be at the fair.
Also lauded were Grand Expo International, China, and MotorTrend Africa, for supporting the annual event.
234Parts
One of big companies that participated in the 16th edition of the16th Lagos Motor Fair & Autoparts Expo Africa, was 234 Parts, an online auto parts shop which brings vehicle owners first-hand convenient experience of everything post-vehicle-purchase, from spare parts to vehicle health checks and vehicle documents.
At the stand occupied by the exhibitor, the Head of Acquisition, Tina Anyi, described 234 Parts as “an auto parts marketplace that simplifies identification and comparison of spare parts, granting users access to the right part from the right vendor at the right price.”
Anyi told fair visitors that the online shop enables vehicle owners to book diagnostics, search for parts, locate nearby workshops, renew vehicle documents and buy service kits among others.
Micking Oil & Gas
Flaunting a range of Micking brand of top quality synthetic engine oils at the fair was Micking Oil & Gas which also showcased Radix grease and a Primax brand of auto batteries.
Speaking on the at the stand on the opening day of the fair, the Managing Director of Golden Stone Investments Ltd, Andy Offor, disclosed that his company is the sole distributor in West Africa of the Micking range of premium motor oils, and Primax Battery.
