Weststar says no plans to drop any Mercedes-Benz dealer in Nigeria

BY MIKE OCHONMA

Following a recent media report that some accredited Mercedes-Benz shops may lose their dealer licences, Weststar Associates Limited says it remains committed to its dealers in Nigeria and will continue to do business with them.

Without mincing words, the auto firm described its five authorised Mercedes-Benz dealers in Nigeria as its lifeblood and listed them as Barbedos Cars, M-B Automobile Services, Skymit Motors, Sunny Motors and Tetralog Nigeria Limited.

Weststar, an authorized general distributor of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Nigeria, was reacting to a story in the Transport Day of Tuesday, June 28, 2022 resulting from a recent statement by Mercedes-Benz of Germany of its plan to reduce its dealerships in some markets.

The auto firm, in a statement signed by Oluwatobi Abimbola, its marketing & social media manager, said it had been the “home of all things Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria for over 15 years”.

Weststar noted that running its operations as Mercedes-Benz’s representatives in Nigeria, it owes its success not only to a holistic business model and a great team of professionals but also, more importantly, to its business partners.

“Weststar Associates Limited runs a dealership network across Nigeria that covers the different regions of the country & is held by successful and innovative companies who have a strong understanding of the business climate in their regions,” the auto firm said.

“Although the story of Weststar in Nigeria is only a decade and a half old, the history of Mercedes-Benz runs for even longer, with a presence in the country for over 60 years. Many of our dealers have become the lifeblood of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria,” it said.

Weststar further said that for decades the dealer companies have ensured that millions of Nigerians are able to gain access to the world’s most desirable Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

“Weststar’s key strategy remains to grow the Mercedes-Benz network in Nigeria using our dealerships. The franchisee does not intend to cut ties with any of its authorized dealerships in the country at this time. We will continue to promote and strengthen our dealerships as a means to grow the Mercedes-Benz brand in Nigeria,” it said.