By Theodore Opara

It was a moment of pride for all Nigerians present at the event centre in Johannesburg South Africa when Ford Motors company announced its plans to start an assembly plant in Nigeria with Coscharis Motors, in the last quarter of the year.

Mr. Jeff Nemeth, President/CEO Ford Sub-Sahara Africa with Dr. Cosmas Maduka, President Coscharis Group at the Ford Go Further event in South Africa.

Jeff Nemeth, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company, sub-Sahara African, while addressing the audience which comprise, Ford dealers from all over sub-Sahara Africa, the media and other dignitaries at the year’s ‘Ford Go Further’ event announced that the renowned American auto maker was partnering Coscharis Motors Limited, to assemble Ford Ranger, Pickup in Nigeria.

According to him “Nigeria will be the first African country, outside South Africa where Ford vehicles are produced.”

“Nigeria is priority market for us in sub-Sahara Africa and today’s announcement will allow us to better serve our customers both from a retail point of view, and in terms of vehicle and parts availability” Nemeth added.

Details of thepartnership

The Ford plant according to him, will create approximately 180 jobs directly and indirectly and has capacity to assemble 5000 Ford Ranger pickups at the Ikeja Lagos plant for sale in Nigeria. Speaking later at a press conference to explain details of the partnership, Nemeth described Coscharis as a right partner in Nigeria, promising that Ford will grow the business.

“With Coscharis, we have the right partners and with the Ford Ranger we have the right product to deliver a world class truck that Nigerian customers want and value,”he said.

Ford, he explained will assemble the vehicles at a semi-knockdown, SKD, level using body parts and components imported from South Africa for the new Ranger. He also noted that the new assembly plan was part of Ford’s expansion programme in the Middle East and African regions.

“We are committed to supporting Nigeria’s developing automotive industry and economy together with Coscharis and are looking forward to being active in the community new assembly operations, even on a smaller scale like this one, have very positive ripple effect in the local economy and workforce.

Nemeth, assured that in line with the operating procedures for Ford plants around the world, Ford will send experienced employees to Nigeria to assist with implementing the Global Ford Production system which focus on the highest standards for safety, quality and delivery.

Also speaking at the occasion, the President of Coscharis Motors, Dr. Cosmas Maduka described the new partnership as a dream come through for the company, promising that the plant will be ready by October this year.

“We value our partnership with Ford immensely and look forward to having the opportunity to assemble world class Ford Rangers in Nigeria. This partnership will boost Nigeria’s much needed march towards industrialisation and create an important step in the development of automotive industry.

Maduka explained that the Ford Ranger accounted for 60 per cent of their sales in Nigeria having sold 4000 units last year and on course to replicate the same this year. He noted that the 5000 unit targeted by the company annually was for a single shift and could be double if the need arises by adding another shift.

Maduka stressed that Nigeria with a population of almost 180 million people was an important market in Africa that could not easily be ignored,  that Nigeria new vehicle market is about 120,000 units annually while the used cars was 560,000. The Nigerian Ford market if developed would serve the ECOWAS region.

“Nigeria had potential to be a 500,000 unit a year industry and together with the Economic Community of West African States such s Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroun was tremendous to consider in the future.