Innoson is doing something that sparks my nigerianess. This automobile company,
with an annual turnover of 3.6bn and state-of-the-art technology assembles cars
in Nnewi, Nigeria. It also manufactures tyres, tubes, motorcycle parts etc. Amidst
the noise of no infrastructure, Innoson is still managing to make cars in
Nigeria. That, for me is no mean feat!
The Nigerian government goes all over the
world looking for foreign investment when her local exportable potentials are
never explored. It is always very painful when what you are looking for is
right under your nose. If its true that you need 9m people to produce 60m cars, the
meaning is that getting the 14 million cars plying Nigerian roads manufactured
in Nigeria will provide 2.1m jobs!
If
Nigeria was a developed nation, the argument will clearly be that if Innoson
can assemble in Nigeria, why can’t other automobile companies do same? Or is it
that everything we manufacture is always considered as fake?
When I was growing up, the opposite of the
word “original” was “china”. Today, you have to consider that country called
China to make real profit in most enterprise. One thing is clear about that
country. China believes in her people. If you don’t believe in your citizens,
why should foreigners believe in them? Innoson is doing better than many auto companies
that bring automobiles into this country and call them imported as if imported
cars are made in heaven and can never crash. No country attains high quality
production in a day.
If you want to increase your foreign direct
investment, the first thing is to consume what you produce before thinking of export.
Our attitude as government and as a people is the reason why the world puts us
on their dumping plan. President Olusegun Obasanjo banned imported fruit juices
in this country and the country survived. Within 10 years, all we saw was Coca
Cola, Chi limited, Funman Limited etc all setting up fruit juice production
plants in Nigeria making products for local consumption and perhaps today,
exports! We cannot continue to be archaic in production and be voracious in
consumption. Foreign exchange lost to importation of Rice, flour, refined
petrochemicals etc are putting heavy pressure on the Nigerian economy.
Production for consumption must commence in
this nation and the public policy to back this up has to be triggered against
the heart desire of a few greedy elements. I want to see Ota farm eggs in my
mayonnaise and Nigerian fruits in Shoprite. Nestle has to package that Suya
spice! Aba will be better off as Nigeria’s china! Nigerian rice must start
going through our throats and Innoson cars should be celebrated and used, first
by the Nigerian government and then the Nigerian people. Sale of jobs through
importation to Coutonou and some other countries that have even
less comparative advantage in some of these imported products needs to stop.
We should not wait for the death of our brands
before we use and celebrate them. Nigerians have to celebrate NIGERIA and
her products. At least, the ones that we have comparative advantage in must be
consumed by us. Electricity is not the reason why all forms of production in
Nigeria cannot happen. If Innoson can do it, then it is not practically
impossible. Innoson has to be celebrated for this feat, and every other company
or focused people that are busy thinking of making our country, Nigeria a
place, not less, but greater and better than it was handed over to us. Do help
us God.
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| A car manufactured by Innoson Photocredit: Innoson |
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