Nigeria Breaks Into Automotive Technology Producing Powerful Made-In-Nigeria Cars

By Dr Onyema G.Nkwocha

Finally Nigeria Produces Made-In-Nigeria Cars

People of the World, Nigeria, and Africa at large, I bring you good news! The long awaited “golden fleece” of technological breakthrough has finally arrived, and is aggressively anchored at the heartland of Nigeria.

First of all my CONGRATULATIONS goes to the illustrious Nigerian son, Chief (Dr.) Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma (OFR), founder, developer, and owner and CEO of Nigeria’s first indigenous motor vehicle manufacturing firm, INNOSON Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited (IVM).

Personally, I have been following the development of this Nigeria’s first indigenous fledgling technological “miracle” since I heard of its inception in 2007. As was well deserved, Chukwuma caught the entire world by surprise when on October 15, 2010 he invited President Goodluck Jonathan to commission the INNOSON Vehicle Manufacturing Plant at Nnewi, Anambra State of Nigeria.

During this August occasion, IVM’s Team and leadership were able to show off to the world an entire assembly of a complete line of made in Nigeria IVM Cars, SUV’s, Semi-Trucks and Luxurious air-conditioned Buses. President Jonathan could not be any prouder because under his administration, this fledgling IVM Company was able to break through the long awaited “golden fleece” of technological know-how!

On the day President Jonathan commissioned IVM, he had declared that he commended the founder of the company for his laudable efforts because the motor company will create job opportunities for many a Nigerian and also will help to improve the national economy.

Amplifying the President's speech
Let me amplify and unload a little more on what the President had said in a nutshell. IVM has opened the gateway to Nigeria’s and entire Africa’s technological development that has eluded Africa and has long been awaited in coming.

Today, that technology is now with Africa (although South Africa has car manufacturing companies representing BMW, Ford Motors, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Renault, Toyota and Volkswagen), I do not know any of these that were originally indigenous to South Africa. Neither do I know how much South Africa tried to use that technology to help develop Africa. The responsibility now lies with Nigeria with this newly acquired technology, which in my judgment she must guide and guard jealously.

From the perspective of a supporter of Africa’s Technological development and adviser at-large and advocate for both IVM and similar breakthrough organization yet in the making, in my personal opinion, I think IVM’s breakthrough in the automotive technology has placed Nigeria and the entire Africa at the cusp of industrial/technological development.

If Jonathan’s Government and administration should take note, what the Chairman of IVM, Chief Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma has done in these past six year was to save Nigeria billions of US$ she would have paid to Ford, GM, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Peugeot etc to transfer the motor vehicle technology needed to build an auto manufacturing Plant for Nigeria.

Today, that need is fulfilled by IVM and therefore the need to unnecessarily spend that money, no longer existent.

The many significance(s) of this REVOLUTION
IVM has just opened the gateways to technological Revolution in Nigeria and Africa.

From this point, now, IVM would need to diversify into automated Agricultural equipment manufacturing that will lead to mechanized Agriculture.

Next, Nigerians, IVM Customers will not know the quality of IVM motors and will not enjoy the taste of “home-grown “line of the state-of-the-art-vehicles until Jonathan’s government use the muscles and power of the Federal might of Nigeria to redesign, rebuild and construct roads to accommodate the 21st century and beyond transformational needs.

Without adequate roads to adequate to the quality of IVM motors, it will be hard to wean Nigerian’s off the taste of foreign cars. Hence Nigeria’s government needs to consider building good roads and tying its federal subventions to State governments to the nature and conditions of roads in their various States – No good roads built and no Federal subvention received by the State!

My advice to Chief Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma is to use his supporters’ influences and resources including his own powers to urge both Federal and State Law Makers to pass laws compelling the Federal and State Governments to rebuild all Nigerian roads. Without Good roads, it will be hard to experience how good IVM motors are.

IVM now has the capacity to diversify into road construction heavy equipments to fill the gap. With road construction machineries now built in Nigeria, the spending of Nigeria’s foreign reserve in order to pay for these machineries will be reduced and the money invested in other capital ventures. Furthermore, with available road construction equipments, the rebuilding of Nigeria’s roads becomes an easy task to accomplish.

Any and all aspects of Industrialization that would require “AUTOMATION” and “ELECTRIFICATION” or “POWER” should now sign-up with IVM for exploratory feasibilities studies and possible accomplishment. According to Winston Churchill, “what we own, we hold!”

In this light, to give this new technology the massive attention, awareness and resources it deserves to do Nigeria and Africa the “Good” of all, all Nigerian Universities are hereby encouraged to set up partnerships with IVM to set up Workshops at their Universities and Colleges of Technology for the Auto-Mechanical electrical, computer science engineering departments.

From the pool of these students who will be researching into experimenting and improving the current state of IVM’s technology, IVM and the nation of Nigeria will stay abreast of the new automotive technology – the state-of-the-art, if you will.

Not only this, IVM has opened the doorways for Nigeria, COLD-REFRIGERATOR Industry. With the air-conditioning technology IVM employed in air-conditioning its lines of vehicles, the company will not find it difficult to branch into Air-conditioning industry – manufacturing.

When Nigeria start building “old rooms” for the preservation of food stuff, medicine, preservation of life and organs in the hospitals, then we must have come full circle of basic technological development. And IVM now holds the key to all that technological need.

Though last in this mini-series but not least, the Nigerian Military industrial complex can now partner with IVM to start exploring its military industrial technological science. After all, the Nigerian military corps has variously talented human resources whose interests in life are varied as much as those of civilians. IVM will offer them the opportunity to try their hands in technology and engineering. They could start developing Nigeria’s first prototype home manufactured military vehicles, armored vehicles etc.

What should Jonathan’s administration do to see to it that Nigeria eventually takes off technological from this precursor set by IVM is to put in place? I think trade policies that will protect internal-breakthroughs and businesses such as IVM need to be put in place to PREVENT foreign stifling. Nigeria needs now to limit the rate of vehicle importation from foreign markets and instead, pass laws that require patronizing the home made IVM and other locally manufactured vehicles and products.

At the end of this mini-series, again, from the perspective of a supporter of Africa’s Technological development and adviser at-large, and advocate for both IVM and similar breakthrough organizations yet in the making, let me advise the IVM and its founder and CEO, Chief Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma, let me advise you to go into “mass-Production” at affordable price and you would have reaped an unimagined return on your investment!

Now let me share with you the founder of America’s Ford Motors, Henry Ford’s philosophy which he shared with the people of the world at the production of his Ford Model T in 1908 ( please note, the underlined emphasis are mine):
"I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one – and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God's great open spaces.” Henry Ford.

Message to Africa and Nigeria
To our African nations and leaders, please come to Nigeria, patronize IVM. Go into partnerships with IVM to replicate and build similar IVM Plants in your Countries. With the 52 or so countries in Africa, each building an IVM Plant in their Africa would have solved the problem of motor manufacturing and from there, delve into yet other important and offshoot technologies.

To Nigeria and President Goodluck Jonathan, please remember that Winston Churchill once said, “What we own, we hold!” Please IVM’s technology is yours now. You own it, please hold it. Patronize IVM. President Jonathan, please pass laws that would enable IVM to survive and not be stifled by foreign competition. Please I urge your government to consider building a partnership with IVM on other technological needs that Nigeria current has.

Nigeria once lost a golden opportunity at the end of the civil war for technological advancement; let us not lose it again. IVM, the long awaited “golden fleece” of technological breakthrough has finally arrived, and is aggressively anchored at the heartland of Nigeria. This occasion is cause for every development loving Nigeria to rejoice and encourage support for our first indigenous home grown IVM line of motor vehicle.

Again, Congratulations to Chief (Dr.) Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma (OFR), founder, developer, and owner and CEO of Nigeria’s first indigenous motor vehicle manufacturing firm, INNOSON Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited (IVM) and Team!

Dr. Onyema Nkwocha,
Advocate/Supporter, Africa/Nigeria Technological Development

All Photos: Courtesy of Federal Ministry of Information, Nigeria and NigeriaFilms

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