Peugeot Nigeria Rolls Out Peugeot 301 In commercial Quantity
Peugeot
Automobile Nigeria Limited is consolidating its leadership in the
nation’s car manufacturing sector with the launching of the Peugeot 301
in commercial quantity in Nigeria, an official of the company has said.
The Managing Director of the company, Mr Ibrahim Boyi, said the
company was in full support of the government’s Automotive Industrial
Development Programme and had designated about 24,000 square metres
within its premises in Kaduna State for the Local Components Park.
Representatives of the Federal Government and the management of
the Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, on Saturday, had a feel of what the
vehicle looked like, as they were taken round the park to inspect the
Peugeot Components Auto Cluster Park.
The Automotive Industrial Development Programme is aimed at promoting
local automobile production and reducing the importation of used cars.
Nigeria spends the sum of 4.2 billion Naira on importation of vehicles in 2010 alone and higher figures in 2011 and 2012.
Importation has continued to increase, boosting the economies of
countries where the vehicles are manufactured while the indigenous
automobile companies have continued to face low patronage.
To tackle this challenge, grow the Nigerian economy and create more
jobs, the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced the automotive policy
that would support the establishment of automobile companies in Nigeria
and the revival of the metal steel and tyre manufacturing industries.
This has started yielding some results.
The manufacturing of the Peugeot vehicle has placed Nigeria in the league of automobile producing countries.
At the launch of the site for the automotive cluster pack and
flag-off of local production of Peugeot vehicles in Kaduna, the Minister
of Commerce Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, said that the
government would ensure that the automotive policy would not only be
implemented but sustained beyond the present administration.
“The automotive industry development plan took account of the
problems that led to the collapse of the industry in the past and was
developed after extensive consultations with the executives of the
existing local auto manufacturers. That is why we plan to establish
auto-skills and auto-companies parts in three parts of the country,” he
said.
Mr Aganga further said that the government would launch a vehicle
financing scheme to make funds available to Nigerians for the purchase
of made in Nigeria vehicles under the new automotive policy.
The Minister said that the scheme would be launched within four
months and would involve the collaboration of local and foreign banks.
The former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, lamented that
indigenous automobile company, which used to be Nigeria’s pride in the
global auto-industry, had been neglected by successive governments.
“I hope that Nigerians will like to patronise this more than ever
before and I hope that there would be no government policies that would
short change the automobile companies in the future,” General Gowon
said.
The automobile company was able to commence production within the
shortest period after the approval of National Automotive Development
Plan, a development that confirms the company’s leadership role in the
Nigerian automotive industry.
The unveiled Peugeot 301 was made from over 120 years of automotive
experience in the traditional Peugeot style of safety, comfort and
strength.
Over the next six to twelve months, the company has promised to roll
out the Peugeot 508 and 408 models while hoping that the Federal
Government will ensure the implementation and compliance of the
automotive policy.
As Nigerians await the commencement of the
policy, industry players have emphasised that the policy would be a mere
mirage if the companies are not supported to pick up or protected from
the influx of used cars into Nigeria daily.
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