Nnewi (Anambra) Oct. 30, 2025 (NAN) Sen.Francis Fadahunsi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Industry has called on South-East governors to patronise Innoson motors owned by their own brother as part of their efforts to promote local production.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fadahunsi said this when the committee members visited Innoson Group of Companies, Nnewi in Anambra .
He urged the south-east governors to kick start the patronage of the company’s products due to the huge investment in the production of products needed by the masses and the rich.
Fadahunsi said that the committee had gone round the company’s factories in Lagos, Enugu and Anambra and found that its products ranged from plastics to automobile and others.
“Innoson has massive investment scattered across the country with over 7,000 workers without zero duty on imported products.
”Mr President will be informed of this and the Senate will hear of it too for a positive response.
“The company has invested majorly on products that promote the economy of the nation without having duty exemption and still create wealth for the populace,”he said .
Fadahunsi urged the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Industry to come to the aid of the company, adding that the Bank of Industry would address the injustice.
Fadahunsi, however, tasked the company to drastically reduce its products’ prices once it got the certificate of exemption.
Mr Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman Innoson Group of Companies, said that he was into motor manufacturing and not assembling vehicles as some people thought.
According to Chukwuma, my company produces 60 per cent of the vehicles and appeal to Nigerians to buy made in Nigeria motors.
He called on the government at all levels to support local manufacturers’ efforts through patronage to grow businesses and the economy of the country.
Chukwuma appealed to government to grant his company zero duty on its imports to enable it produce at a lower cost and employ more hands to boost the economy of Nigeria.
Mr Oluwemimo Osanipin, Director-General of National Automotive Design and Development Council,(NADDC), said that the council would table the company’s complaints to the appropriate authorities.
He said that as a regulatory and supervisory body in charge of automobile industry in the country, every manufacturer would have a fair play ground for operations.
According to him, Innoson complained of not given a fair play ground as some people who brings in full manufactured vehicles into the country get zero duty.
“ We have seen that the company buys flat sheets, which comes with duty and that makes him feel disadvantaged. We will look into this.
“Innoson has the capacity to make 3000 buses, which we do not buy. We have seen that over 7,300 Nigerians are under his employ,” he said.
He said that the company manufactures Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from carcass to finish, so we need to support him to discourage importers of automobile.
Osanipin said that Innoson was building a third factory that would be one of the largest assembly plant in Africa for electrical and CNG products and when completed it would be a new level of investment in automotive industry.
NAN reports that other members of the committee include the Vice Chairman, Sen. Isa Lau, Sen. Ekong Sampson, Sen. Ipalibo Banigo, among other personalities .(NAN)
