At a factory in southeast Nigeria, dozens of new white buses stand at the end of the production line, apparently ready to take on some of Africa’s toughest roads. Unfortunately for Nigeria’s main domestic vehicle assembly firm, they are going nowhere for now.
In an economy starved of dollars because of the slump in oil prices, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) cannot buy imported components, leaving the buses without engines – a metaphor for the problems afflicting Africa’s most populous nation – Nigeria.
GDP figures on Wednesday confirmed that the continent’s biggest economy slid into its first recession in 25 years in the second quarter, shrinking by 2.06 percent after a 0.36 percent contraction in the first three months of the year.
The poor state of the manufacturing sector in particular is a blow to President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been pushing hard to wean Nigeria off its dependence on crude oil sales, which make up 70 percent of government revenues.
At IVM, whose products are intended to show Nigeria can export more than oil, workers have already been sent home because of a lack of parts from Japan, China and Germany, which account for much of the content of the vehicles they produce.
Production had stopped “as we are waiting for the imported items for which there is a forex issue,” chairman Innocent Chukwuma said at the firm’s plant at Nnewi, in southern Nigeria. Launched in 2010, IVM last year raised its annual production target for 2016 from 4,000 to 6,000 vehicles due to a “Made in Nigeria” campaign that generated strong sales to the police, state agencies and churches.
Those ambitions are now looking shaky if promises of government assistance fail to materialise, Chukwuma said. “I believe they are doing something but if they can’t do anything we’ll lay off some workers,” Chukwuma said.
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I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist
Posted: at 1-09-2016 06:17 AM (8 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Prease somebody shudu givu me Bughaaaris Number leti me calu ghim andi told ghim this development andi achievementi, Godu willi helep us in thisi Countiri o
Posted: at 1-09-2016 09:04 AM (8 years ago) | Newbie
buhari devil send you make you come destroy naija, every business dey close and many dey sack workers, now crime wey done full d country never do , you wan increase am abi?
Posted: at 1-09-2016 11:35 AM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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