Cash-strapped Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, has said that it will soon commence importation of used cars into the country in a move to shore up its revenue profile. The company's Managing Director, Dr. Haroun Aliyu, said at a news conference held at the ongoing Kaduna International Trade Fair that since Nigeria has a large market for second hand vehicles, there was nothing wrong if PAN imported and certified such vehicles for the use of Nigerians.Justifying the company’s new direction, the PAN boss said that the vehicles to be imported would be certified by the manufacturers, who would also make available the detailed history of the vehicles to prospective buyers, even as he argued that, even in Europe, people patronise used vehicles more than the brand new ones. "If ownership of Tokunbo cars is the problem of Nigerians, we have plans to bring what we call certified second hand vehicles. It is good as it is done globally and not the road-side Tokunbo market that we have where you do not have the history of the vehicle.
The certified second hand cars, which we are working on to see how we will launch it in Nigeria is for us to bring in cars that are used, but are recertified by the manufacturers, with a label. "If you buy a car with a label from any of the networks, it is as good as buying a new car because you have access to all the information as well as all the history of the vehicle and you can be supported by the brand," he said. He also lamented that government had not been encouraging local automobile manufacturers.
