Auto
Dangote to Roll Out Commercial Vehicles Soon
By Dipo Olowookere
Budding automobile company, Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited, has entered another phase in its expansion drive by increasing its local input into the assembling plant to up to 60 percent, even as it plans to roll out commercial vehicles soon.
The expansion drive, which is part of the backward integration plan, is meant to enhance value addition and local content.
Group General Manager of the firm, Mr Hikmat Thapa made this known during a facility tour of the Ikeja plant by the Lagos State Commissioner of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye.
He said having done with the phase one of the project, the company has embarked on the phase two which has to do with adding of the facility for Cab welding, Painting & Trimming.
Mr Thapa stated that the third phase of the project expansion would be to add the facility that would be used to fabricate, paint and assemble different type of trailer bodies, load bodies with dual and triple axles, tipper bodies & tankers and so on.
He explained that Dangote Sinotruck has installed capacity to assemble and produce 15 –16 trucks per shift or 10,000 trucks annually and will create over 3000 different jobs across Nigeria.
“The company has the plan to have welding & painting shops to fabricate & paint truck cabin & Trailers of different type so as to enhance local content of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) operation of commercial vehicle Manufacturing,
“In next one year, we have on our agenda to assemble and fabricate Truck Cabins, different type of trailers, Tipper bodies and Tankers etc. in our plant to increase value additions up 40 – 60 percent,” he said.
The automobile company said it hopes to expand sales to all the neighbouring West African States saying “we are targeting to sell our products to ECOWAS countries in addition to fulfilling local market requirement.”
The Commissioner expressed surprise at the level of activities going on at the plant and commended the entrepreneur spirit of Mr Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of the Company whose businesses are geared towards touching lives.
Mrs Oladunjoye was optimistic that with the level at which the Company was going, it will soon be a matter of time when Nigerians would opportunity for cheap vehicles.
He enjoined other businessmen to emulate Mr Dangote in the efforts to create jobs through manufacturing rather than importation of finished products. She promised to relay the message of what she saw back to the state governor.
Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited is a Joint Venture between Dangote Industries Limited and Sinotruck of China with the total investment of $100 million formed for assembling different type of Trucks, with the Nigerian Dangote Industries owing 65 percent equity and 35 percent by Sinotruk.
The company is established to assemble and produce full range of commercial vehicles covering heavy duty truck, medium truck, light truck and other semi-trailers etc.
It aims to meet an expected current demand of the segment of Automobiles required for logistics, construction, food & beverage industries in Nigeria to support the government’s efforts on boosting the economic development across the country.
The objectives of establishing Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited is to provide employment opportunities to Nigerians, improve local automobile industry, add equipment base and achieve technological advancement in Nigeria, and in turn to promote the economic development in Nigeria
The company is also to form a production hub at Lagos for heavy-duty & light duty trucks and commercial vehicles in West Africa. With the formation of the production base which will not only serve the market demands in Nigeria but also can fulfil the requirements of neighbouring ECOWAS countries.
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.
By Dipo Olowookere
Plans are underway to carry out a comprehensive data capture and registration exercise of all commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators within Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA.
This move, according to the council chairman, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, is part of proactive measures to strengthen the security of lives and property across the Local Council Development Area (LCDA). The exercise, he said, would be executed in partnership with security agencies and transport unions.
On Tuesday, the council chief convened a high-level security meeting with leaders of commercial transport unions and key security stakeholders operating within the area.
Mr Agbaje expressed concern over the increasing influx of commercial motorcycle (Okada) and tricycle (Keke) operators into the LCDA without proper documentation or profiling.
According to him, the absence of reliable records poses significant security challenges and could provide opportunities for criminal elements to infiltrate communities under the guise of commercial transportation.
He stressed that security is best achieved through preventive measures, noting that effective profiling and documentation remain essential tools in safeguarding residents and protecting the council from emerging security threats.
Mr Agbaje disclosed that under the new security framework, all Okada and Keke parks and operational locations across the LCDA would be officially documented, adding that every duly verified operator would receive an official identification jacket bearing a unique coded number to facilitate easy identification and monitoring.
He also said a mandatory guarantor system will be introduced to strengthen accountability, ensuring that every registered rider has a verifiable guarantor who can be contacted whenever necessary.
The chairman noted that these measures are designed not only to improve security coordination but also to protect law-abiding commercial operators and discourage criminal activities within the council.
Leaders of the various transport unions welcomed the initiative, noting that proper documentation will distinguish genuine operators from criminal elements, enhance public confidence, and promote a safer working environment for commercial transporters.
Also, the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of Ayobo and Ipaja Commands commended the initiative, describing it as a timely and commendable step towards strengthening community policing. They reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the council to ensure full compliance and sustain peace and public order.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A new in-app audio recording feature to enhance safety, promote respectful interactions, and support fair resolution of disputes between drivers and passengers during rides has been introduced by inDrive.
A statement from the global mobility and urban services platform disclosed that the feature can be activated manually by either the driver or passenger at any point during a trip, providing an additional layer of protection and confidence for both parties.
It complements inDrive’s existing suite of safety tools, including in-trip monitoring, ride-sharing capabilities, and 24/7 customer support. Integrated into the app’s Safety Centre.
The audio recording feature, which is already available in the app, helps address situations where evidence is limited, providing an objective record that enables inDrive’s support team to investigate complaints and resolve disputes fairly.
It also promotes responsible behaviour throughout the ride. Designed with privacy and data security in mind, recordings remain securely stored and are only accessed with a user’s consent as part of an official complaint investigation.
The audio recording feature reflects inDrive’s broader mission of challenging injustice by creating a fairer and more transparent experience for everyone using the platform.
According to the Country Manager for inDrive Nigeria, Mr Timothy Oladimeji, while the vast majority of rides are completed without incident, there are occasional situations where misunderstandings arise, and evidence is limited, making it difficult to determine what transpired.
He added that by providing an additional source of information, the feature enables support teams to conduct more thorough investigations and reach fairer resolutions, ultimately enhancing confidence in the platform for both drivers and passengers.
“Safety remains at the heart of everything we do at inDrive. We understand that privacy is just as important as safety, which is why this feature was developed with strong safeguards to ensure users remain in control.
“The introduction of the audio recording feature reflects our commitment to continuously improving the experience for both passengers and drivers to foster trust, accountability and mutual respect,” he said.
The new audio recording feature is now available within the Safety Centre section of the inDrive app. Users will receive notifications informing them about the feature and how it can be activated when needed.
