Nigeria presents a very huge potential in the automotive components and spare parts market if properly harnessed, given the number of vehicles in the country which is estimated at over 20 million, so says Jammie Hill, managing director of BtoB Events, organisers of the just concluded West Africa Autoparts Show (WAAS), a new international trade exhibition at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The maiden WAAS show event in Lagos which held from November 6 to 8 did not only pull a large audience and stakeholders from the regional and global automotive sector under one roof but also had a wide range of exhibitors from the automotive maintenance and repair sector.
In attendance at the exhibition were car parts manufacturers, assemblers, and distributors, commercial garages, retailers, mechanics, fleet operators, and logistics companies of Nigeria and across the world that thronged the arena from the first day of the exhibition.
In the first day, an estimated 100 exhibitors from Nigeria and across the world relocated to Landmark Event exhibition, Lagos, venue of the exhibition, to forge new business ties and show off the latest developments and products in the spare parts and services sector.
It also provided a fertile ground for suppliers, dealers and manufacturers to discuss the best practices for the industry and find out more about the developing local motor manufacturing industry.
Jamie Hill said that the event was put together in the country because organisers of WAAS strongly believe in the Nigerian market and the opportunity it presents. The exhibition he said is in line with the federal government’s plans to make sure that a large percentage of cars on roads are made in Nigeria.
Describing Nigeria as a market that needs to be represented by a platform such as an exhibition, Hill said: “It is an opportunity to bring the stakeholders under one roof to interface and move their businesses forward”.
On what they intend to achieve with the exhibition, Hill pointed out that, the exhibition is a perfect opportunity for the local automotive industry to strive and get better position.
‘’We want to create global recognition to the Nigerian auto parts sector; be they spare parts or auto assembly because we hope a lot more manufacturers are coming up in Nigeria”.
Emphasising that WAAS marketing strategy is to target ECOWAS countries first, Hill, however, observed that Nigeria is the powerhouse for the exhibition project.
Expressing optimism that the Nigerian government is very proactive in their plans to ensure that more of the cars on the roads are assembled locally, Hill also expressed hope that the WAAS will align themselves with the plans of the government and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) so that they can work together.
Describing the Nigerian market, Hill said “There is a significant value for the auto parts market in Nigeria. There is a lot of value placed in this market from the rest of the world”.
Jet Systems Automobile Industries Limited (JSAIL) was also the major event sponsors. Sanjay Rupani, director, sales and marketing of JSAIL, said the company is part of the sponsorship of this year’s WAAS event.
Rupani said they have a mutually beneficial relationship with WAAS that they will work with on a long term basis. On why they entered into the partnership. He admitted that it was necessary to use the platform to showcase the Jet brand that the company is trying to promote.
Rupani said that Jet Systems Automobile Industries Limited is using the WAAS as a platform to show the world that, the company has a product that is not just only good for the road conditions of Nigeria but can be used for other roads.
“It is a long term relationship and we will be supporting them in all their activities. The aim is to try to enrich and develop local content. We are very much in support of what they are trying to achieve. We are proudly associating and mentioning that it is a Nigerian brand that we are trying to develop from Nigeria to the world.’’. Rupani concluded.
It also has the official endorsement of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and backed by many automotive-allied corporate sponsors and partners.
