Ford, one of the major auto makers in
the United States of America has said it will assemble its Ranger brand
of pickup in Nigeria, starting in the fourth quarter of 2015 as part of
its expansion in the Middle East and Africa where the small truck is
popular.
Nigeria will be the first African country outside of South
Africa to produce Ford vehicles. The Ranger will be assembled in Ikeja,
Lagos State, about 470 miles from the capital city of Abuja, creating
about 180 jobs.
The cost of the investment is however not released, but it is believed it would cost some millions of dollars.
The Nigeria operation will be a “semi-knockdown” plant
that will receive parts and components partially assembled from South
Africa and complete the assembly. The company will send employees to Nigeria to train them in the Ford manufacturing system.
The kit assembly plant has capacity for 5,000 trucks a year, all for the Nigerian market.
According to Cosmas Maduka, president of Coscharis Motors,
“this partnership will boost Nigeria’s much needed march towards
industrialisation and create an important step in the development of the
automotive industry.”
Ford is partnering with Coscharis Motors Limited, a Ford dealer in Nigeria.
The Ranger is built and sold around the world with the
notable exception of North America. The last U.S.-built Ranger rolled
off the line in St. Paul, Minn., in December 2011. Ford redirects truck
buyers to the larger Ford F-150 but a core of customers continue to ask
for the return of the smaller pickup.
Elsewhere, the truck is a strong product; global sales
increased 40% in 2014. Ford builds the pickup in South Africa, Thailand
and Argentina.
The kit assembly plant has capacity for 5,000 trucks a year, all for the Nigerian market.
Jim Benintende, president of Ford Middle East & Africa
said for Ford, “assembling Ford Ranger trucks in Africa’s largest
economy is an important milestone in our Middle East and Africa growth
plan,”
He said: “With Coscharis we have the right partner and
with the Ford Ranger we have the right product to deliver a world-class
truck that Nigerian customers want and value.”
The Ranger is the best-selling vehicle in South Africa,
and Ford sees Nigeria as a priority market in Sub-Saharan Africa. The
truck is sold in 24 African countries and 148 markets worldwide.
For Jeff Nemeth, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company
of Sub-Saharan Africa region, he said :” The announcement will allow us
to better serve our customers both from a retail point of view, and in
terms of vehicle and parts availability,”
He explained further that the company is committed to supporting Nigeria’s developing automotive industry and economy, noting assembly operations, even on a smaller scale, have positive ripple effects in the local economy and workforce.
Olusola Bello
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