By Fola James
Local automakers in Nigeria have failed to attract the patronage of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Dagote Group belonging to the business mogul has recentlyordered 10,000 trucks from Indonesia as part of the conglomerate’s effort to energise its manufacturing arm.
Vehicle makers in the country such as Peugeot and Innoson have made efforts to expand their franchise to the private and public sectors of the nation’s economy in the last few years.
Their message doesn’t appear to be resonating with Dangote who went as far as the far-east to seal a deal worth billions on naira to bring in the trucks to Nigeria.
Experts insist that Dangote may have decided to look elsewhere because he could not get what he wanted at home.
Indonesia’s Industry Ministry’s director of maritime industry, transportation equipment and defense equipment, Putu Juli Ardika, said in reaction to the issue, that the vehicles would be purchased by the businessman through his company Dangote Group.
“Dangote Group is very interested in importing [the trucks] for its customers in Africa”, Putu said as quoted by kompas.com on Monday.
The multipurpose trucks have ability to carry water and cassava and seed processors, the Indonesia minister said.
The minister disclosed that “Dangote’s team will check three units as a sample to be brought to Africa at the end of January”.
The magazine learnt that the will trucks be exported over five years, with 1,000 units expected in Nigeria in 24 months.
