For the Peugeot brand and its Nigerian owners, ASD Motors, it is a new dawn for their automobile business. This is because the brand has keyed it into a system that would now enhance better performance of its vehicles, and further endear it to auto freaks. Apart from the logo which has changed, the name, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, PAN, Limited, has also given way to Pan Nigeria. The new logo, though a symbol of the lion, like the old one, comes in a slimmer version, and has a new logo, ‘Motion and Emotion’, as against the old one of ‘Engineered to be Enjoyed’.

Haroun Aliyu, managing director, Pan Nigeria, explains that the new logo depicts that the brand is continuously on the move to deliver the best for its numerous customers at all times. According to him, a slimmer lion is more agile, gliding through its terrain with relative ease; therefore, the new Peugeot that would now be built would be smarter and more appealing to customers’ emotions.

The management of ASD Motors, since taking over PAN after its privatisation, has continually sought ways of repositioning the company, given the post-privatisation challenges it faced, especially the low patronage of its vehicles by government agencies contrary to the provisions of an existing directive on the use of made-in-Nigeria vehicles by government officials. Therefore, to achieve improved turnaround of the fortunes of the company, its management embarked on the current rebranding. PAN sources told the magazine that with the new name, the company, which is the only surviving auto assembly plant in the country, would have the opportunity of taking up other automobile franchises,

which in turn, would increase its fortunes. Stakeholders in the industry believe this is the right step for the company, given the vast auto facilities in it Kakuri factory, Kaduna State. For instance, they contend that Essential Autos, an Israel-based auto firm, trades in more than three auto brands apart from the Peugeot franchise it holds. Therefore, replicating same here with Pan Nigeria, is viewed as an encouraging development.

Confirming this development, Aliyu explained  that “it would portray us (Nigeria) as a people to be respected; however, we are still the owner of the Peugeot brand in this country”. As at last week, more than five global automobile brands have contacted the company seeking for ways to partner with it. Besides, three Chinese auto firms visited the factory of Pan Nigeria to have an on-the-spot assessment of its facilities. Though the visitors were highly impressed with what they saw, they feared that factors militating against the growth of industries in the country has not abated, while government policy summersaults also constitute a source of worry to the Asian visitors.

While Aliyu is elated about this development, he warned that the company would not accept any brand whose intention is only to import completely built unit, CBU, of automobiles, without having plans of producing such product in the country. “We won’t accept a drop-and-go mentality; such vehicles, if we finally reach an agreement with these companies, must be produced here because it would serve as a means of creating employment for Nigerians. We have the platform and capacity for any company to assemble vehicles here in our factory”, A

Aliyu told the magazine. Furthermore, Pan Nigeria is toiling with the idea of establishing a subsidiary that would produce tractors. Already, its research and development department is working on the project.

For now, the company is forging ahead with the production of its flagship 307 sedan. From an initial 18 per cent local content in the 307 sedan, it has notched up to 25 per cent. The import of this, according to the managing director, is that some cottage industries are now getting jobs to do. But in spite of this, there has not been a dramatic change for the demand of the car. While Nigerians expect the car to be cheaper than most of its competitors, the manufacturer believes the price tag on it is competitive.

Aliyu equally fingered the Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE, as being unfair to the auto companies it privatised, insisting that before privatisation when the companies were government owned, they enjoyed huge government patronage, but the reverse is what exists now after privatisation. However, he is not disappointed with the 307 sedan because of request from some West African countries. “We are the third country in the World with franchise to produce the 307 sedan, and our franchise on the car covers this region, (West Coast); so the market will come, but we have to work with ECOWAS to revive the common tariff; our tariff is too high here, so it will not make our product competitive in neighbouring economies. For instance, we had request from Niger for the car but the duty fee became an issue”, Aliyu explained.

 

Aliyu: Determined to deliver the best for Peugeot customers

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