…To take over new assembly plant from CIG Motors
Paul Ogbuokiri
GAC Motor has re-affirmed its commitment to the development of the automotive industry in Nigeria with the opening of the new GAC G-Style Showroom in Abuja. With this move, GAC Motor will also take over the new vehicle assembly responsibility from its licensed importer in Nigeria, Choice International Group (CIG Motors).
CIG was awarded for actively establishing a 100 per cent world class automobile knock down (KD) assembling plant in Nigeria using Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) assembly kits imported from China.
CIG facilitated a joint venture between the Government of Lagos State for 1000 units of GAC Motors (GS3 SUV & GA4) to create an iconic urban public travel project known as LAGRIDE; this project has changed the overall appearance of the public transportation system in Lagos State, it has also created more local jobs which has provided Nigerian youths with more dignified and rewarding way of earning a living, including local third-party service suppliers.
The company in a statement said: “Nigeria is an important market for our Africa expansion plans especially in West Africa, where we have identified opportunities of developing a collaborative automotive industry hub amongst the countries in the region. The hub concept will ensure that each country with an automotive development policy or economic interest in the automotive industry has an important role to play in the supply value chain. We have also recorded the following milestones;
•Installation and operation of a state-of-the-art automobile assembly facility in Nigeria.
•Installation and operation of an integrated industrial and domestic home appliances manufacturing facility in Nigeria.
•Facilitated the successful operation of the first World Class Private Taxi Project ‘LAGRIDE’ a Joint Venture Partnership with the Lagos State Government.”
Chairman of the company, Diana Chen said: “GAC is fully committed to supporting creative artistry culture and its industrial transformation agenda despite the current economic challenges facing the country. We are here for the long haul. Our company believes in long term investments which are nurtured through mutual relationships with like-minded partners. Nigeria’s commitment to the development of its automotive industry is evident in the GADP, which is still the blueprint automotive policy in the region in terms of creating an enabling environment for the establishment of an automotive industry in sub-Saharan Africa.”
Following the debut of the first-ever GAC G-Style showroom in Lagos, the launch of the second G-Style showroom in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja represents yet another significant turning point in the development and extension of the GAC network across Nigeria.
GAC has a presence in 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa where it sells passenger and commercial vehicles through licensed importers.
“As the frontier for the Fortune Global 500 Company of the automotive industry, Africa has become very important for the sustainability of GAC Motors. We are therefore accelerating our growth strategy on the continent by playing a pioneering and leading role in the development of the automotive industry,” Dina Chen said.
