Reports gathered on Tuesday claim that not less than 25 percent of about 40,000 used vehicles imported through the Nigerian ports over the past two months are China-made. Local automakers and dealers are displeased with this development and unequivocal in rejecting the arrangement, which they insist will kill the local auto industry.
They said it was absurd for Nigeria to allow China to ship its used vehicles to the country at a time many automakers were still battling with the influx of used European and American auto brands.
They called it an attempt to make Nigeria a dumping ground for used vehicles with short lifespan.
The General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications at the Coscharis Group, Mr Abiona Babarinde, said, “If this position is correct, it will be counterproductive and unfortunate. Used cars from China or any country should not be encouraged by our government now. It will not be value-adding.
“Nigeria will be a dumping ground for all manner of vehicles. This can’t grow the local auto industry; it will be a setback for the local assemblers of vehicles.
“Besides, it will be confusing for the government to encourage importation of used vehicles from China at the time same it is encouraging local production of vehicles.”
The Marketing Manager of Dana Motors, Mr Olawale Jimoh, told The PUNCH that allowing used Chinese models into the country would not only retard the little progress made in the last five years with the establishment of an auto policy but would also cripple the nation’s economy with massive job losses.
He said, “What we will be basically doing is to help Chinese economy grow. By bringing in their used cars, production of new cars will grow in their own country. This will help them generate more employment and increase their Gross Domestic Product.
“It will also make our country a junkyard of used cars in the world; we are currently contending with used cars from European countries, America and all of that.”
The Executive Director, Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association, Mr Remi Olaofe, said the Federal Government had not shown enough commitment to ensuring the success of the five-year-old auto policy.
He lamented the delay in getting President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Nigeria auto bill, adding, “No investor will want to come to a country where their business is not protected.”
Senator Shehu Sanni, in a tweet on the issue, stated, “To ban the importation of textiles and milk to ‘protect our local industries’ and allow the importation of used vehicles from China is a dumb economic policy.”