Wednessday <strong>28</strong> <strong>Feb</strong>ruary <strong>2018</strong> 24 BUSINESS DAY
BUSINESS DAY C002D5556 DB Rail Academy starts Brazilian training programme Page 27 Wednesday <strong>28</strong> <strong>Feb</strong>ruary <strong>2018</strong> 25 ‘Convincing Nigerians to embrace automotive policy was herculean’ Canadian National railway plans record €C$2.08bn investment in <strong>2018</strong> Page 26 Page 27 Striking pictures of railways in Africa (1) Page 27 Nissan reviews assembly operations in Nigeria … To provide expertise and technological advisory support Stories by MIKE OCHONMA As part of on-going appraisal of its vehicle assembly project in Nigeria, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., last week deployed a high-powered delegation from its headquarters in Japan to discuss compelling strategies with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC). The strategies are aimed at expanding the capacity of the Nissan manufacturing facility to produce and supply affordably priced vehicles; create opportunity for workers as well as ancillary firms and the communities. Leader of the Nissan delegation, Peyman Kargar, Senior Vice President Middle-East, Africa and India (AMI) said: “Our visit to the Nissan facility in Nigeria is aimed at helping the plant to sustain its status as a reassuring brand with proclivity for improved performance, sales and after sales.” Also adding that the time is right for Nigeria to sustainably and inclusively explore the gains of automotive policy to produce vehicles with unprecedented value, yet affordably priced, Kargar said: “Nigeria is one of Nissan’s most outstanding markets in Africa growth strategy and we are ready to partner with the federal government to develop the market and explore the country’s strategic regional partners in the West Coast, to make Nigeria the automobile hub for evolving West African markets.” Nissan he noted remains committed to the Nigerian economy, which has a strong potential of becoming Africa’s wealthiest country. Kargar referred to Nigeria’s auto policy as exceptionally inclusive A new chapter was opend recently in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and home to highest number of vehicles in the country when Autofit Dunlop Express, an exquisite one-stop shop for auto maintenance and repairs opned its doors to the motoring public. He thanked their The centre was opened with the collaboration of its “technical partners; Garutech Ltd and Tyre Express Limited. Located at the Alapere axis of the Lagos-Ibadan road, the new facility is equipped with modern and millennium complaint facilities to meet the needs of individual and fleet owners. During the opening ceremony, Ayo Oludemi, managing director, Autofit Dunlop Express, declared that setting up the facility and throwing it open for business did not come that easy, but that despite all odds, the company kept L-R: Peyman Kargar, leader of Nissan delegation, Jelani Aliyu DG/CEO, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Tokunbo Aromolaran, managing director of VON Automobile and Parvir Singh, Stallion NMN managing director during the tour of the Stallion NMN facility in Lagos recently. and thorough, one of the traits that inform Nissan’s eagerness to make a greater contribution in the Nigerian market. “We are happy to continue our collaboration with the government to transform Nigeria into a notable manufacturing and distribution hub,” he said. The six-man delegation was received by Jelani Aliyu, Director General/CEO of the National Automotiive Design and Development Council ( NADDC) before proceeding on to inspect the Stallion NMN facility at VON Automobile Nigeria. Local Nissan custodian - Stallion NMN, member of the Stallion Group became the first indigenous stakeholder in 2014 to roll-out locally assembled Nissan vehicles consequent upon the ratification of the National Automotive Policy, assembling four Nissan models including Patrol SUV, NP300, NV350 and Almera. The company has since inaugurated 11 Nissan dealerships across six geopolitical zones of the country, and achieved 10% market share in FY14 and 18% market share in FY15 coupled with notable presence in Victoria Island and Gbagada Lagos as well as in Abuja and Port-Harcourt. Nissan seeks to continue to provide expertise and technological adivisory support to boost Nigeria’s economic diversification strategies, using the automotive sub-sector to achieve inclusive and shared growth. Stallion NMN Managing Director Pavir Singh said they are midful of the challenges of affordability, saying the company is keen on producing qualitative standard and affordably priced vehicles to cater for different spheres of needs. “We as manufacturers are willing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the federal government, making vehilces affordable for everyone. We have demonstarted the capacity of our plant, which can produce 100,000 vehicles annually. “The auto industry worldwide contributes an average of 11.5 percent to the GDP of their respective countries and the same can be replicated here in Nigeria,” Singh assured. Other delegates include Mike Whitfield, Managing Director/ CEO, Nissan South Africa, Xavier Gobille,Sales and Marketing Director, Jim Dando Sales and Operations as well as Africa, Middle East and India Managing Director Frederic Posez and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Programme, Product, Marketing Intelligence General manager Vincent Valdmann. Autofit Dunlop Express Centre promises quality fitment, auto care L-R: Davidson Akhimien, national president, Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria and chairman, (King David Security), Gbenga Emmanuel, GM, Autofit Maintenance Center, Ayo Oludemi, MD, Autofit Dunlop Express, Gautam Ghai, executive director, Tyre Express Nigeria Limited and Jair Uto-Dieu GM, Operations,Tyre Express Nigeria Limited at the opening of the Autofit Dunlop Express centre in Lagos recently moving ahead in its firm conviction that its customers deserve the best. Oludemi expressed satisfaction that Autofit Dunlop Express aligned Sumitomo Rubber Industry, South Africa, owners of the Dunlop brand and promoted in Nigeria by Tyre Express Limited to change the experience of buying tyres. “Furthermore, we also intend to have a skills acquisition centre for our youths, where they will equip themselves with various technical skills such as panel beating, spray painting, tyre and mechanical repair knowledge. He further disclosed that the vision of the partnership is to try and get the youths and eliminate the thoughts of going to countries like Libya in search of greener pastures. We want to make them believe there is hope in Nigeria and make them responsible citizens. Oludemi assured prospective customers that the outfit will not relent in providing the best services available”. Commenting on the auto experience centre, Jair Uto-Dieu said, “Tyre Express Nigeria Limited is the Dunlop Distributor for Nigeria, adding that “Tyre is a grudge-purchase, you only buy tyres when you must buy tyres, it is difficult to find somebody happy and anxious to buy tyres like Jag’s all-electric I-Pace front-row seats for global premiere Jaguar will livestream the global premiere of its first electric vehicle (EV), the I-Pace on Thursday, 1 March, even as customers across the world have already pressed the ‘I want one’ button on the Jaguar website, to register their interest in the hotly anticipated electric performance SUV. Jaguar is responding by hosting an online broadcast on its social channels, revealing I-Pace to the public and entire world. Specifications will be announced, and the configurator on the Jaguar website will offer consumers the option to configure their own. The is Jaguar’s newest member of the Pace family and is the EV drivers have been waiting for, delivering sustainable sports car performance, allwheel-drive agility and five-seat SUV practicality. In the words of Ian Callum, Jaguar Director of Design: “Since revealing the I-Pace Concept in 2016, we have been counting down to this moment. The all-electric model is not only a pioneer within our business, it promises to revolutionise the industry. I cannot wait for the world to see everything we have achieved with this car.” The I-Pace will be capable of rapid charging from zero to 80 per cent in 45 minutes and has been rigorously tested across extremes of terrain and temperatures from -40°C to 40°C. With over 2.4 million test kilometres and a further 11,000 hours of rig simulations completed by more than 200 production prototypes, Jaguar’s design and engineering teams have created a world-class all-electric SUV. The official public debut of I-PACE will be at the Geneva Motor Show on 6 March. going to buy that dress, or suit or designer wristwatch.” “We make buying of tyres a comfortable experience as much as possible. In Nigeria today, we need a place where you are sure you can get original tyres at the best price without any doubt.” He stated. “As a company we aspire to be the preferred choice for tyre purchase. We endeavour to stock the complete range of tyres needed in the Nigerian market, while being competitively priced. Our trained staff will serve the needs of our customer with single-minded focus of “customer first”. He noted. In the words of Uto-Dieu, the new centre comes ultra-modern layout; clean and aesthetically appealing bays and lounge areas; comfortable rest rooms; branded products offering the best quality products across the PCR, 4×4 & Truck range.
Change language