Aliko Dangote Shuns Innoson Motors, Orders 10,000 Trucks From Indonesia

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and owner of the Dangote Group, has ordered not less than 10,000 light pickup trucks from Indonesia as part of his company’s effort to energise its manufacturing arm.

Nigerian carmaker, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) have made efforts to expand their franchise to the private and public sectors of the nation’s economy in the last few years.

Their effort doesn’t appear to be resonating with Dangote who went far-east to seal a deal worth billions of naira to bring in the trucks to Nigeria.

Indonesia’s Industry Ministry’s director of maritime industry, transportation equipment and defense equipment, Putu Juli Ardika, said that the vehicles would be purchased by the businessman through his company, Dangote Group.

“Dangote Group is very interested in importing the trucks for its customers in Africa”, Putu said.

Putu explained that the trucks would be imported into Nigeria to serve as means of transportation to rural communities.

He said the multipurpose vehicles would be used by farmers and others in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, to transport water, cassava, and seed processors.

The minister disclosed that “Dangote’s team will check three units as a sample to be brought to Africa at the end of January”.

“The trucks are set to be exported over five years, with 1,000 units to be exported this year and next year,” Putu said.