Toyota cars will be assembled in Nigeria starting this year if all goes according to plan. This follows the unveiling of an automobile assembly plant built for this purpose, in Lagos.
The plant, which is expected to churn out 15,000 cars when it becomes fully operational, will have two car brands assembled in it. Apart from Toyota, it will also be producing cars for the Chinese motor brand JAC, which the Toyota Nigeria Chairman, Michael Ade-Ojo, described as an increasingly popular “junior brother to Toyota in Nigeria.” While the JAC cars are already being produced, assembly of the Toyota cars is expected to begin later this year.
Ade-Ojo explained that semi-knocked-down parts needed for the assembly of the Toyota cars were yet to arrive in Lagos, and that production would commence once they did.
In 2013, the Federal Government introduced a national automotive policy with the aim of increasing the local production of motor vehicles. Since then, at least 30 automakers have undertaken to set up vehicle assembly plants in Nigeria. Last year, Toyota Nigeria presented its first locally assembled bus to the public.