Is Nigeria ripe enough to have its own automobile industry? The answer is no. For the country to be manufacturing automobiles, it must be able to produce at least 85% of the components locally. A wide range of materials are used for making automobiles. These include iron , aluminium, glass, polymer .
In terms of safety, from windshields to bumpers, various components of plastics are safe with different safety roles to play. The seat belts made of polyester and nylon airbags have saved countless lives worldwide. Filling roof supports with plastic foam helps to strengthen the roof structure in the event of a rollover. The plastic foam inside door panels and front and back bumpers absorbs the impact of a collision.
With the above, is Nigeria an automobile manufacturing country? I guess we are just assembling various automobiles with components manufactured in foreign countries. Nigeria could have been a leading automobile manufacturing country if the Volkswagen and Peugeot assembly plants were still alive. A good example is Malaysia’s Proton car. The idea of having auto plants in the country was brought forward by the then Prime Minister, Dr Mahatiar Mohammed, in 1983.
Everything in Nigeria is now made in China. According to the recent publication in Guardian Newspaper , A leading Chinese automaker, GAC Motor has released its best-selling Sports Utility Vehicle in the Nigerian market, the GS4. The unveiling, which took place in Lagos, attracted dignitaries, including the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, and representatives of the state government. How long are we going to continue like this? Nigeria is full of talents that can make things happen.
Awesome 👏
Se we get ni?