Toyota shows supremacy at The Nigeria Auto Awards

The eighth edition of The Nigeria Auto Awards held recently in Lagos confirmed the supremacy of the Toyota brand as it carted home six awards.

Toyota Camry led the pack capturing the prestigious ‘car of the year award’ at the event organised by Onwheels.

The truck of the year (one ton) went to Toyota Hilux and the Managing Director, Toyota Nigeria Limited, Mr. C. K. Thampy, emerged as the chief executive officer of the year.

Toyota was also declared as the brand of the year; just as the auto dealer of the year award and the after-sales service company of the year went to Mandilas Motors and Elizade Nigeria Limited, respectively; both companies are Toyota dealers.

Kia Picanto clinched the budget car of the year, the statement added.

The report also indicated that the financial institutions were not left out as their contributions in the auto industry were recognised.

For instance, in the bank category, it stated that Fidelity Bank Plc took home the best bank in the transport support section; Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc won the bank of the year in the consumer (auto) section.

In the auto personality category, the Chairman, C & I Motors, Mr. Emeka Ndu, was awarded the auto entreprenuer of the year.

Mack Truck being marketed in Nigeria by Lanre Shittu Motors emerged the truck of the year; while Sino Truck was the declared the fastest selling truck of the year and Volvo truck came up as the upcoming truck of the year.  Publisher of Onwheel magazine, Mr. Jabez Aina-Scott, said it was exciting that the 2013 edition of the award threw up a number of surprises.

He also said that the event would continue to define the essence of the auto industry in Nigeria, adding that it was designed to reward excellence and showcase performance.

He said, “The resounding applause this year’s edition of the auto award received is a testimony to its acceptance as the benchmark of excellence in the Nigerian auto industry. This is to the extent that the event continues to report more 75 per cent of the stakeholders.”

According to him, the award is engineered to celebrate men and women with high pedigree, individuals who in no small measure have contributed to the development of the auto industry in Nigeria.

The statement added that the award categories had been enlarged to accommodate the unprecedented growth in the industry in recent years “with about 30 brands of vehicles and well over 15 major franchise holders and dealerships adding up the figure.”