September 07, (THEWILL) – VON Automobile Nigeria, a subsidiary of Stallion Group and maker of Ashok Leyland buses, has expressed its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing investment initiative in India.
The initiative coincides with the 2023 G20 Summit taking place on September 9th and 10th.
Dr. Harpreet Singh, the company’s Managing Director, commended President Tinubu’s efforts and highlighted the prospective investment in Nigeria’s automotive industry that resulted from his visit to India.
President Tinubu’s meeting with Mr. Gopichand Hinduja, Chairman and CEO of the Hinduja Group of Companies, a conglomerate with a total asset portfolio exceeding $100 billion, led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for further investment in Nigeria’s automobile industry.
Mr. Hinduja pledged a multi-billion dollar investment and expressed his commitment to bus and automobile manufacturing in Nigeria.
Dr. Singh welcomed the news, expressing confidence that President Tinubu’s administration would prioritise the nation’s automobile industry.
He stated that VON Automobile, as a pioneer and leading automobile assembler since 2013, remains dedicated to supporting the Government’s push for a clean and eco-friendly environment with mass transit buses running on clean and affordable energy sources.
The company is currently modifying its locally assembled mass transit buses to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric power.
The locally assembled Ashok Leyland buses, including the Falcon and Hawk models, have been available in Nigeria since 2014. These buses, designed specifically for the Nigerian environment, offer durability, power, safety, and a longer lifespan.
Dr. Singh emphasised that the CNG and electric-powered Falcon and Hawk buses will help reduce running costs for Nigerians, particularly in light of recent fuel subsidy removal measures.
VON Automobile’s assembly plant, located along Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Lagos, Nigeria, not only produces buses, but also cars, pickups, trucks, and other vehicles that serve as viable alternatives to imported fully built-up new and used vehicles.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
