Nigerian automobile manufacturing company, Innoson Motors, is set to export made in Nigerian cars to Mali. The Charge'd Affair of Nigera in Mali, Yara Abdulsalam, says an indigenous manufacturing motor company has signed an MoU with a Malian firm to send out 400 privately made vehicles to Mali.
Abdulsalam made the declaration in Abuja when he led a deligation of business men from Mali to visit the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama.
He said that amid the week, Innoson Motors signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Taxi Plus VIP, a Mali based transport company for the development of transport business in that country.
He said the development was the result of "Made-in-Nigeria products presentation" held in Bamako in 2016.
He said the presentation was encouraged by Ginco Group, a Nigerian firm situated in Mali to exhibit Nigeria's possibilities.
Abdulsalam stated: "from the presentation, Taxi Plus VIP approached the embassy that they needed to import vehicles from China in any case, we disclosed to them that we have indigenous company in Nigeria that manufactures cars.
They began conversing with Innoson through Nigerian Export Promotion Commission (NEPC) and the arrangement was later settled.
"Mali is the focal point of Francophone nations and has boundary with eight countries."
"On the off chance that the MoU emerges, it will influence all different countries and will increase Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria."
In his comments, Geoffrey Onyeama expressed delight at the development and portrayed it as "the start of modern transformation in Nigeria.''
He said it was a decent improvement that would create job creation and stem the rate at which youngsters leave on risky adventure to Europe looking for greener pasture.
"What you are accomplishing can be the start of transformation in our country; the longest journey needs to begin from somewhere."
"What you are doing represents a giant leap for Africa because it involves exchanging among ourselves."
"What i found fascinating that we are trading at the highest tech level with the export of automobile, cars and buses to each other."
"As we are currently establishing the framework, anything is possible for Africa; it implies we have broken that barrier that is holding us down," he said."
Onyeama commended the Nigerian embassy in Mali for giving the institutional support for the MoU.
"This is what the ministry wants Nigerian embassies around the globe to be doing; to fill in as little center point to promote exchange relationship."
He said one of the ministry's objectives was to be a center point to advance Nigerian export.
"We have numerous offices around the globe and we need to use that to advance Nigerian goods."
The Managing Director of Ginco Group, Mr. Godwin Oguzie, said the 2016 Made-in-Nigeria presentation in Bamako, was to empower Nigerian manufacturers realize that opportunity awaited them in Mali to sell their products.
He said he led Taxi Plus VIP to sign the memorable MoU with Innoson Motors to export 400 vehicles to Mali.
"We sign an MOU with Innoson Manufacturing Company to enable Taxi Plus increase its capacity to provide urban transportation in Bamako."
"This is the first time a country in Africa is exporting locally manufactured vehicles to another country," he said.