By Moses Akaigwe
The organisers of Nigeria Annual Automotive Industry Awards have disclosed that no automobile battery brand, maker or dealership will be recognised during the 2nd edition of its forthcoming award ceremony scheduled to hold on Monday, November 27, 2023.
Organised by the Board of Trustees of the Automobiles And Road Safety Initiative, the event comes up at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Samuel Oloyede Oriowo, President of the non-governmental organisation; established in 2013 with the consent of the Federal Road Safety Corps, who dropped the hint, decried the influx of various low grade automobile batteries in the country.
According to him, it has been established that Nigeria loses above N150 billion to fake and low grade automobile batteries imported annually into the country from various parts of the world.
In a press statement, Oriowo, said, “The Board of Trustees of the Automobiles And Road Safety Initiative is using this medium to urge the Federal Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take positive actions and prioritise the production of automobile parts locally to save the country of seriously needed forex and stop boosting foreign economies at the expense of the home country’s.”
“The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) charged with prior certification of goods being imported into the country; especially automobile spare parts, lubricants and allied products, should double-up in their efforts at preventing low grade automobile batteries into the country.
“The low quality batteries could be harmful to the motorists and their passengers’ health; apart from being economic drain pipes; as the batteries life spans are below 12 months instead of about 48 months and more; world-widely recommended.”
Oriowo disclosed that the forthcoming 2nd Nigeria Annual Automotive Industry Award is being held to keep encouraging excellence and to celebrate the best and the brightest of the stakeholders, their products and services in the country.