A steel fabrication company, Iron Products Industries (IPI), has started assembling the Tata brand of vehicles and other types of commercial vehicles including passenger buses, light and heavy duty trucks in Nigeria.
According to IPI’s Director of Operations, Mr. Davies Obinna Ikegbula during a media visit to the company’s production facilities in Ikotun, a densely populated area of the nation’s commercial center, Lagos State, the company started as a steel fabricator before joining the likes of Innoson and Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) to assemble automobiles.
Mr. Ikegbula told the visiting journalists that the country would be the hub of Africa’s automotive industry if government’s implements effectively its automotive policy – National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).
He said automotive policy has the potential to drive development or growth of the sector into a major base for the economy and make the country an hub of Africa’s automotive industry, he also called for a timely execution of the policy to discourage vehicle importation and encourage local production.
“This can help boost activities in the industry and lead to the production of affordable, but top quality vehicles for the local market and export”, he added.
He said the existing auto plants and potential original equipment investors have the capacity to meet the nation’s vehicular needs, including passenger cars, commercial vehicles – pick-ups, light and heavy duty trucks and special purpose articulated vehicles like haulage tankers and trailers.
Mr. Ikegbula implored the Federal Government to introduce incentives and policies that would help the local industry to thrive, in addition to addressing the challenges that militated against progress in the industry among which was power and high exchange rates.
The plants dedicated to assembly the Tata brand of vehicles, were been used for the Howo, Sinotruk heavy duty trailer heads and could also be used for the construction trailer bodies, tankers and underground steel tanks.
