Innoson Motors Leads African Car Manufacturers.
4 min read
Last week, Umuaka Times came across a document which has the list of African businessmen who are into car manufacturing. After going through the document, it was considered newsworthy and it is published in this edition of Umuaka Times for our readers across the globe to understand how Nigeria has developed in the global auto industry. The document which was slightly edited in line with Umuaka Times journalism style shows other African countries that have entrepreneurs who are into the business of car making as well.
Africa has a large and important car manufacturing industry but few are sold to customers within the continent. Most are exported. Almost every car bought and used by Africans is imported from Europe and Asia and most are second handed vehicles carrying huge import duties that typically double the price making them more expensive than new cars sold abroad.
From indications so far, Africans are sick and tired of this development and are answering back in providing auto solutions in the continent. Nigerians have a word known as “tokunbo” meaning “foreign used”. A large number of tokumbo vehicles imported into the country are not roadworthy.
A statement on the website of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing firm, Africa’s first and number one automotive manufacturers, reflects the current mood in African:
“Africa has literally become a dumping ground for foreign used automobiles. We are not second class people that should only drive second hand vehicles.”
A commonly held view is that no one manufacturers cars in Africa for the African market but Umuaka Times has found a handful of entrepreneur-led organizations making a mockery of that assumption. The list is below:
Innoson Motors.
The publisher of Umuaka Times newspaper some time ago around 2020, paid a visit to this firm to see things by himself. His discovery shows that in 1987, at 25-years-old, a Nigerian born entrepreneur Innocent Chukwuma founded the first motorcycle manufacturing company in Nigeria known as Innoson Motors. The mission of this rare feat was to drive tokunbo vehicles out of the country forever. Umuaka Times observed with keen interest that Innoson manufactures a lot of cars, ranging from lorries, buses, trucks as well as military vehicles, to SUVs and other highly exotic cars.
According to the sources Umuaka Times came across, Innoson is the first made-in-Africa automobile brand and is now one of the largest car manufacturers on the continent of Africa having sold over 10,000 vehicles since inception from its plant in Nnewi, to customers including the Nigerian government. Under the firm, there are car brands such as the Innoson IVM Granite, SUVs (Innoson G20), sedans (Innoson Fox) and Innoson 5000 and 6540 etc.
The firm, Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing IVM, is seen as a great source of solid, durable and indigenous pride to those who drive the Innoson brands. Many Nigerians and indeed Africans are still surprised that such a high quality product can come out of Nigeria. Even till date, many Nigerians do not know that Innoson is 100 percent made in Nigeria. The attention the vehicles command on the streets of Nigeria is second to none. It is the considered opinion of Nigerians that the best of Innoson is yet to come.
Wallyscar:
Founded in Tunisia in 2006, Wallyscar manufactures a range of small 4x4s sold predominantly in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Brothers Omar and Zeid Guiga set up the company with the idea of making the vehicles affordable, stylish and sporty. They sell to order between 300-600 units a year at a price point of around €15,000 and are now planning an electric version.
Kantanka Cars:
Engineers at the Apostle Safo Suaye Technological Centre in Ghana have been busy developing an electric car. The company itself was established in 1994 by Apostle Dr Ing. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka to manufacture a range of saloons, four-wheel drives, SUVs and pickups.
In December 2019, the company started manufacturing electric vehicles. The Kantanka Odeneho II is powered by 12 rechargeable batteries, each with a predicted lifespan of over four years. Unlike EVs produced outside of Africa, such as the Tesla, the Kantanka Odeneho does not require specialist set up or equipment for charging as it plugs straight into a mains socket.
Mobius Motors:
Founded in Kenyan in 2011 by Joel Jackson, the first generation Mobius II was launched in 2015 with the next-generation released in 2019. Mobius uses the slogan “Designed for Africa. Built in Africa.” It released its first batch of low-cost vehicles towards the end of 2017. Designed for Africa’s common road terrain and transport usage, the SUV costs around €9,000 ($10,000), which is roughly the price of a used sedan.
Africa’s first EV:
Africa’s first electric vehicle to go into production, the Kiira EV, was built by students of Uganda’s Makerere University in 2011 with government support. The students went on the found Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) after taking part in a vehicle design summit organized by the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
In 2014, KMC officially became a company owned by the Ugandan government and Makerere University. Eager to support the production of eco-friendly vehicles, the government granted the company a 100 acres of land to establish a manufacturing plant.
KMC has so far designed and built three concept vehicles, the first of their kind in Africa. They include the Kiira EV, Kiira EV Smach, which is the first electric hybrid vehicle designed and built in Africa and the Kayoola Solar Bus, which runs on lithium-ion batteries that power the electric motor plus a 2-speed pneumatic shift transmission.
Only time will tell if Africa will win the fight for domestically manufactured vehicles, designed for the terrain at affordable prices but where there’s a will, there’s a way. The Continent’s growing urbanization and middle classes have some power and appear to be voting with their feet. It seems some governments are also now keen to support local production.
