Pan Nigeria stops assembling Peugeot cars at its Kaduna plant switching to Chinese brands

KADUNA automobile assembly company Pan Nigeria has ended four decades of tradition and stopped assembling the Peugeot brand of cars switching instead to two Chinese models known as Chery and Higer.

Founded way back in the 1970s, Pan Nigeria started off as a joint venture between the federal government and French car maker Peugeot. Following the collapse of the company, a local consortium bought out the company and kept it going but the concern has been struggling with sales, which many potential buyers have found off-putting.

Looking for a means to turn its fortunes around, the current Pan Nigeria  management has opted to abandon the five year relationship with Peugeot. Pan Nigeria, however, dismissed reports that its Kaduna State-based factory has been bought over, stressing that it has only ceased to be an assembler of Peugeot vehicles.

It added that the factory had evolved as a multi-brand assembler of reputable international brands. Pan Nigeria, which recently named Taiwo Oluleye as its acting managing director, said it would be rolling out new vehicle models designed to meet the high expectations of its target market.

Mr Oluleye said: “Pan has already signed deals with two leading Chinese companies, Chery Automobile and Higer Bus Company, which specialise in the production of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. While Chery is a leading manufacturer of sport utility vehicles and sedans, Higer is a reputable producer of mini and city buses.

“We have a wide range of exciting new products ranging from pickups, buses, sedans, SUVs, and ambulances which will be produced in our plant to serve needs of the important segments. The new products would be competitively priced, offering high value for money in the Pan Nigeria tradition.”

According to the company, the assembly of multiple brands at the Pan plant would increase capacity utilisation, create new jobs, and promote local content development. It also said that it would bring its extensive experience as the foremost auto manufacturer to bear on the production, distribution and maintenance of the new products.