By Theodore Opara

The Managing Director of Elizade Motors, Mr. Demola Ade Ojo has promised to bring his company’s wealth of experience in Toyota business to bear in their new dealership of JAC brand in Nigeria. This was just as JAC Motors was crowned the ‘New Auto Entrant of the Year’ by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Awards in Nigeria  recently.

PRESENTATIION: From left, Head of Operations, Elizade Autoland, Obagbuwa Oloyede; Managing Director, Elizade Motors, Ademola Ade-Ojo; Regional Manager, Light Commercial Vehicle Division, JAC International, Lyrida Lu; Deputy General Manager, Elizade Motors, Yinka Adu; and General Secretary, Lagos State Taxi Drivers and Cab Operators Association, Omolekan Taiwo at the presentation of JAC brand to newsmen, in Lagos.

The Managing Director who spoke to Motoring Journalists at their newly completed JAC ultra modern head office in Lagos,  described the coming together of the two companies as one of the best thing  to happen to Nigerian customers in terms of quality products and service delivery.

“Elizade is a very professional company with best auto distribution network and customer relations. We also have over 40 years experience in the automobile business, while JAC has quality products in both truck and passenger car segments,”he said.

He explained that for over 40 years, Elizade has been the distributor of Toyota in Nigeria and that  had earned her a good reputation, having established excellent customer relationship over the years.

He pointed out that it has made them realise that the customers want top-notch products as Toyota. Also, he said, that due to high cost of new cars, a lot of people are buying used cars and they felt that Nigerian should be given new vehicles with low price but without compromising quality.  This he said, led to the introduction of JAC, a brand with good quality but very competitively priced.

He recalled many years back when they did the same with Toyota and it became the most sought after brand in Nigeria. “You recall that Elizade found diamond in the rough when the Japanese models were not reckoned with. People, then preferred the European and American brands. But when they tested Toyota, they fell in love, hence it is peoples’ first choice in the country today.”

Urging customers to test and see the JAC models, Mr. Ade Ojo said that Elizade was getting into similar position like in the 1970s when they brought Toyota to Nigerian. He described JAC as a leading Chinese brand with world Class Research and Development Centres in China, Japan and Italy, and very good understanding of automobile production.

Thumbing up for the brand, the Managing Director  noted that JAC culture and business  is in line with Elizade goals and the nation’s auto policy. He explained that Elizade had proudly thrown its support behind the JAC brand in Nigeria after test-running the brand for close to two years.

“We started by introducing the first 18 units of JAC cars and light trucks to selected organisations and Taxi Union to test-drive for 18 months and we catalogued every complaint and gave them feedback. We found few areas that needed improvement like in the truck which came with one filter and we requested that a second filter should be added as well as reinforcing the rear axles  and leaf springs needed to be strengthened and they complied.

According to him, the launch of the car after the 18 months test-drive was a huge success but the government’s auto policy which made it mandatory for brands  without assembly line to bring cars at 70 per cent duty affected the pricing but we have decided to continue with the good brand which offers value for money like no other brand.

Having tested the cars and confirmed their quality, the Elizade  boss said that they were at the second phase of introducing it to Nigerians which is brand acceptability for corporate organisations. This he said, they were doing by giving corporate organisations the cars to use for up to 40,000 kilometres because “we are confident of the brand we are representing and know that it is a quality product.”

According to him, “money is not the focus, if money was, we won’t be building this facility.”He added that with their experience in the industry they had realised that for a product to succeed in Nigeria, you must think long term. “This is not about making money, it is about delivering a product that has good value for Nigerian customers, he further stated.

The JAC brand is fit for use for Nigerians, as it is affordable, with good network coverage across the country in all Elizade facilities across the country.

On the strong points of the brand, the Managing Director said that the J3, J4 and J5 saloon models boast good design, safety, durability, comfort and is affordable. They have strong shock absorbers to withstand Nigerian road, as well as fuel efficiency and good air-conditioning system.