Auto
Autochek Acquires Cheki Operations in Nigeria, Ghana
By Adedapo Adesanya
A budding automotive technology company, Autochek, has acquired online car platform, Cheki’s operations in Nigeria and Ghana from Ringier One Africa Media (ROAM).
With the acquisition, ROAM transfers ownership and operational control to Autochek, and all Cheki Nigeria and Cheki Ghana outlets will now be rebranded under the Autochek umbrella, which according to a statement, will launch by the end of 2020.
“Autochek is an automotive technology company which aims to build digital solutions that will enable seamless and safe automotive commerce experience across Africa, starting with Nigeria and Ghana,” it said.
According to the statement, after identifying a number of challenges in the car purchase market on the continent, Autochek plans to use technology to transform the automotive buying and selling experience for African consumers.
It said, “Even though used cars in the region are significantly more expensive than average income—the average price of a used vehicle is $5,000, almost triple the current per capita GDP—most cars are purchased without institutional financing. That’s because credit penetration in the auto market remains around 1 per cent, making it difficult to finance purchases.”
Autocheck said it would achieve the transformation by creating a single marketplace for consumers’ automotive needs, from sourcing and financing to after-sales support and warranties.
The company aims to address the challenge by making auto financing more accessible to consumers across Africa.
“Autochek is now working to standardise solutions around warranties and maintenance to enable dealers to offer these services more readily to consumers.
“Building on Cheki’s 10 years of progress with a network of more than 500 paying dealers, Autochek is set to introduce additional technology solutions that will make it easier for dealerships to service their customers better,” it said.
Speaking on the acquisition, Mr Etop Ikpe, Chief Executive Officer of Autochek, said: “We are really excited by this new opportunity to drive the African automotive space forward.”
Mr Ikpe said that their aim was to create a one-stop-shop for consumers’ automotive needs by embedding technology at every stage of the process and making the journey of car ownership easier for everyone.
“The Cheki brand is well established in Nigeria and Ghana, and we look forward to building on the solid work that the Cheki team has done over the last 10 years in reinventing how car purchases are made.
“Our goal is to continue the great work, as well as expand operations into other African territories from 2021 onwards,” he added.
Mr Clemens Weitz, CEO of ROAM Africa, said: “With Autochek, we have found a company that will carry on the incredible results Cheki has achieved in Nigeria and Ghana over the last decade in developing a specialist car marketplace, trusted by both car buyers and sellers.”
“Etop and his team had an outstanding record of success in the African automotive market and we are excited to be handing over these assets to them, ensuring continuity of service as we migrate the platforms over.
“We are also pleased that the Autochek team is committed to working collaboratively with the existing Cheki team and long-term partners,” Mr Weitz said further.
Despite the transfer of Cheki in Nigeria and Ghana to Autochek, Cheki operations in East African country, Kenya, remains fully under the control of ROAM Africa.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A bill aimed at prohibiting hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles in Nigeria has been passed by the Senate.
The bill known as the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, imposes fines between N50,000 and N100,000 for violations if assented to by the President.
The piece of legislation was passed by the red chamber of the National Assembly on Thursday and should later be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Members of the upper chamber of the parliament explained that the law was amended to discourage distractions in commercial vehicles and improve the safety of commuters.
In addition, motorists who fail to cooperate with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) during roadside breath tests conducted on reasonable suspicion are liable to fines or imprisonment or both.
Lawmakers noted that this was to improve compliance with road safety regulations and reduce road crashes, as fines for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs were raised to N100,000 from N5,000, with the risk of spending two years behind bars.
It was also proposed that disobedience to traffic lights, road signs, pavement markings and other traffic control devices will now attract N100,000, while the fine for speed limit violations is now N100,000, with reckless driving now a fine of N100,000 or two years’ imprisonment.
By Dipo Olowookere
Residents and motorists plying the Aina Obembe Road in Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos, may soon heave a sigh of relief as the excruciating traffic gridlock being experienced in the area both day and night may soon be a thing of the past.
This is because the chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, has directed those involved in indiscriminate truck parking along the road to remove the heavy-duty vehicles within one week, threatening to invoke appropriate enforcement measures for noncompliance with this directive.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday with the management of SENA Company, which owns the affected trucks, as well as the leadership of Oluwadara CDA and other key stakeholders like the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), at the council’s secretariat, Mr Agbaje frowned at the prolonged inconvenience suffered by the community, stressing that public roads must remain accessible and safe for all users.
He emphasised the need for a collaborative approach in resolving the issue without undermining legitimate business operations, noting that he’s focused on finding a lasting solution to the gridlock experienced between Oluwaga and Aina Obembe, where parked trucks have continued to obstruct traffic, disrupt business activities, and pose safety concerns for residents and motorists.
He tasked the firm and the CDA to jointly identify and implement alternative parking arrangements that would remove all trucks from the affected roads and restore the free flow of traffic.
He declared that, “The welfare of our people remains our highest priority. No individual or corporate organisation should obstruct public infrastructure or create avoidable hardship for residents. We must ensure that economic activities coexist with public safety, order, and convenience.”
The council chief reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting orderly development, ensuring safe and accessible roads, improving traffic management, and creating an environment where businesses can thrive alongside the well-being of residents.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has cut import levies on new and used vehicles by as much as 10 per cent in a move aimed at reducing the cost of vehicle importation, even as it commenced the implementation of a new Green Tax surcharge.
According to an update issued by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, the import levy on new vehicles has been reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while the levy on used vehicles has been slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent under the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures, which took effect on July 1, 2026.
The customs said the policy is designed to ease the cost of vehicle imports while advancing the government’s environmental sustainability objectives through the newly introduced Green Tax.
The implementation also reduces the overall import duty on fully built passenger vehicles from 70 per cent to 40 per cent.
As part of the Green Tax framework, a new environmental surcharge of between two per cent and four per cent will apply to petrol-powered vehicles with engine capacities exceeding 2,000cc. However, mass transit buses, electric vehicles, and passenger cars with engines below 2,000cc are exempt from the surcharge.
Beyond the automobile sector, the fiscal measures also lower import duties on several essential goods. The duty on imported rice has been reduced from 70 per cent to 47.5 per cent, while crude palm oil now attracts a 28.75 per cent duty.
In addition, import duties on agricultural and manufacturing machinery have been completely removed to support local production, while Waste PET has been added to the export prohibition list to encourage domestic recycling.
