….with searchlight on local auto industry devt
The organizers of the annual Lagos International Motor Fair & Africa Autoparts Expo incorporating the Africa Motorcycle & Tricycle Expo has disclosed that the forthcoming edition of the all-inclusive event is aimed at reinforcing their focus on enhancing the development of the automotive industry in West Africa using Nigeria as the hub.
Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, chairman of the organizing committee of the annual exhibition said, “we have been using the events over the years to drive more investment into automobile spare parts and accessories manufacturing in Nigeria as well as boosting aftermarket activities in the sector with the objective of showcasing the capacities and potentials of this important sector of the economy.
Agwu, managing director of BKG Exhibitions Limited which organises the yearly event, revealed that, to achieve these, this edition will focus on Business-To-Business interface between the exhibiting Original Equipment Manufacturers [OEMs] and dealers in auto parts from major auto parts across Nigeria and some neighbouring countries, which he said have been reached out to for the event.
“We are aiming at using such platform to see to working business partnerships between them and the OEMs that will lead to them setting up plants in Nigeria to manufacture parts and accessories”.
The event is aiming at spurring the rapid springing up of companies that manufacture these components parts and use it to enhance the policy leading to the establishment of a virile automotive sector in the country.
He advised the federal government to focus more on spare parts manufacturing in place of assembling, stating that, spare parts is the place where the real technology transfer takes place.
It involves precision and proper planning more than the coupling that takes place in assembling. This will give rise to establishing of more OEMs and increase employment”. He said that there should be a review of the ongoing auto policy to make it achieve the desired ends.
While admitting that organizing the event has been very challenging, he said that the organisers are only trying to find a way to push it as a key event in the sector. We cannot but use the event to draw the necessary attention to the sector.
He called on the government to bail out the automobile companies operating in the country adding that, it is a sector that affects virtually everything and occupies a prime position in the economy.
If it is not done now, it will in the very near future affect a whole lot in the life of the people and the economy. The BKG chief executive noted that, challenges of hosting this event is becoming daunting but promised that, the drive in continuing is that the sector must not be allowed to die.
In conjunction with our foreign partners, we have reached out to many of such companies, and happily, the response has been tremendous and we are expecting close a lot of them.
Over 100 Original Components Manufacturers from China, India, South Korea, South Africa, Singapore, Turkey, Nigeria, etc. including major automobile distributing/manufacturing companies in Nigeria are showcasing at the event.
“Our intention in bringing them is to enable Nigerians and neighbouring West Africans engaged in automobile, spare parts, accessories, and allied businesses to work out rewarding and lasting business relationships with the main companies engaged in manufacturing these products and services”. Agwu stated
There will be seminars/workshops going on simultaneously with the exhibition. From June 4-7, 2024 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, the venue of the event; each of those days that the fair will last is loaded with activities and events that will make this edition remarkably rewarding to the exhibitors, visitors, and other stakeholders.
