GANI OLADIPO

[Julius J. Adebayo @HeIsJayjam]

After Cement, Fertilizer and Refining: Dangote Moves to Revive Nigeria's Forgotten Auto Industry

Africa's richest businessman, Aliko Dangote, is making another ambitious bet on local manufacturing, this time targeting an industry many Nigerians thought had long been lost.

More than a decade after the collapse of Nigeria's once thriving automobile manufacturing sector, Peugeot vehicles are once again rolling off assembly lines in Kaduna as Dangote pushes to revive domestic vehicle production.

For decades, Peugeot was the dominant vehicle brand on Nigerian roads. Models such as the Peugeot 404, 504 and 505 became household names, serving as official government vehicles, taxis and family cars across the country.

However, years of economic instability, policy inconsistencies, foreign exchange shortages and growing competition from imported used vehicles pushed Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) into decline. By 2012, the company had accumulated debts estimated at about ₦30 billion and was eventually taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Many believed the story had ended.

But in 2016, Dangote Industries joined a consortium that acquired a controlling stake in PAN, setting the stage for what is now one of the country's most significant attempts to revive local automobile manufacturing.

The move led to the creation of Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria (DPAN), which secured the rights to assemble and market Peugeot vehicles in Nigeria under a new arrangement with the global automotive group now known as Stellantis.

Today, the company operates a modern assembly facility along the Kaduna Abuja Expressway, producing models including the Peugeot 301, 3008, 5008, 508 and the Landtrek pickup truck.

Industry observers say the investment follows the same strategy Dangote used to transform Nigeria's cement industry and later expand into fertilizer and petroleum refining: build local production capacity in sectors where the country depends heavily on imports.

Despite the progress, major challenges remain. Nigeria still imports most of the vehicles used within the country, while manufacturers continue to face obstacles such as high production costs, limited access to consumer financing, foreign exchange pressures and infrastructure deficits.

However, Peugeot retains one major advantage: brand recognition. For millions of Nigerians, the Peugeot name remains closely linked to a period when locally assembled vehicles were a common sight on the nation's roads.

Whether Dangote can successfully restore that era remains uncertain, but the revival of Peugeot has already reopened conversations about Nigeria's industrial future and the possibility of rebuilding sectors that once formed the backbone of the country's manufacturing economy

[Elelu Ayoola @EleluAyoola]

“Two days before the attack on Yawota and Esin-Lee communities, a woman who usually made about ₦1,000–₦1,500 daily from selling beans and bread suddenly began making ₦10,000–₦20,000. She thought business was booming and did not report the unusual activity to community leaders. Sadly, those spending the money were terrorists conducting surveillance ahead of the attack.” — Sen. Fatai Buhari on the Oriire attack.

[Osas @osazenoo]

“Data Shows Tinubu’s Administration Has Confronted Higher Insecurity Than Previous Administrations and recorded more successes in combating insecurity than previous administrations. The security forces continue to record successes, including the rescue of children and other vulnerable victims.”

- Obafemi George, Political Scientist

[𝑴𝒂𝐳𝐢.𝐍𝐧𝐚𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒌𝒂🇳🇬 @EmmyPromise71]

On The State Police Conversation - I'm Very Happy

One thing I have always respected about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that the man has never been afraid of difficult and unpopular conversations in Nigeria even when people hated him for it.

Many young Nigerians shouting online today were probably still children between 2001 to 2007 when Tinubu was already talking about and seriously fighting OBJ about true federalism, state policing, local intelligence, fiscal restructuring, and why overcentralization would continue to damage governance and security in Nigeria. Back then many people mocked these conversations because oil money was still flowing and insecurity had not fully exploded across the country yet.

Fast forward to today, look at where Nigeria has found itself. Terrorists occupying forests, governors crying about lack of powers, communities relying on vigilantes, kidnappers moving freely through rural routes and everybody now suddenly realizing that one man sitting in Abuja cannot realistically police every inch of this country alone.

This is why I smiled deeply yesterday reading that discussions around state police and constitutional restructuring are now moving seriously at the highest level under this administration. History will eventually be kind to Tinubu for many things some people are insulting him for today.

The painful truth is that leadership in Nigeria has always been easier when presidents choose deception over difficult reforms. Promise everybody heaven, borrow money quietly, subsidize problems, centralize everything in Abuja and Nigerians will clap for you temporarily. But the real builders are usually the leaders willing to touch dangerous areas previous politicians were afraid to go near because of politics and popularity.

Tinubu may not be perfect, no leader is, but one thing nobody can take away from him is courage. Political courage. Economic courage. Institutional courage. The courage to enter rooms many Nigerian leaders avoid because they are scared of headlines, protests and social media outrage.

Years from now many people insulting him today will pretend they always understood where some of these reforms and security conversations were heading.

Good morning, Well Meaning Nigerians! ❤️

[Àkànní @idofoi]

"...Nigeria was not making money to pay subsidy, we were borrowing money to pay subsidy. We were also borrowing to pay the interest on subsidy. So when subsidy was removed, it wasn't that we were now suddenly saving money. We just simply just stopped borrowing..." - Obafemi George, Political Scientist

[GANI OLADIPO @GANIDIPO]

@Mautiin01 I keep saying it, Lagos is always a pacesetter. A Lagos LG chairman gives a state governor a clue, and you dey under estimate their father's father?
The Jagaban ♥️

[Osas @osazenoo]

“I often ask people to name a modern country that transitioned from poverty to prosperity in just 36 months. Take China, for example, it lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, but that transformation took decades, roughly 40 years of consistent policies and reforms.”

- Obafemi George, Political Scientist

[LEGENDARY J.O.E @LegendaryJoe]

"NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT CAN ONLY ARREST FAKE NEWS PEDDLERS - NOT TERRORISTS"

After the arrest of Ifechukwu, the reckless fake news merchant who circulated the viral manipulated voice of Mr. President, thereby posing a grave threat to national security by portraying the President as complicit in the festering insecurity confronting the nation,

I have since read comments from fellow citizens across several fora suggesting that the government has no business pursuing peddlers of falsehood and merchants of misinformation while bandits still roam the forests.

Now, I do not claim to know it all. In fact, what I know is but a calabash of water beside the ocean of knowledge. Therefore, to ensure I do not misunderstand their position, I shall ask with clarity as my sole objective:

Are we saying that government must wait until every criminal is apprehended before pursuing any criminal?

Or are we suggesting that crimes come in sizes, and until the "bigger" criminals are arrested, the "smaller" ones must be granted a season of impunity in which to flourish?

For that is akin to telling a doctor to abandon a malaria patient to expire because somewhere else a cancer patient still awaits treatment.

Are you beginning to see the crack in that wall of reasoning? Permit me to widen it further.

It is like insisting that the fire service drive past the house ablaze on their very street, because a shopping mall five streets away is also engulfed in flames.

It is like insisting that a traffic offender such as Rufai Oseni should be allowed to drive recklessly, endangering both himself and innocent road users, simply because highway robbers are more dangerous.

Or should schools stop punishing examination cheats - and in doing so, release upon the public incompetent doctors whose ignorance will finish what illness started, and inept lawyers who will find themselves jailed before their clients ever are - simply because cultists have not yet been expelled from campus?

Do not advertise your ignorance beyond your family name. Do not export mischief further than your lineage can bear the shame.

The existence of a greater crime does not grant immunity to a lesser one.

A society that refuses to quench small fires because it fears bigger infernos eventually burns from both ends.

And in any case - the data before us flatly contradicts the lazy sermon that the Federal Government reserves its energy only for soft targets - whatever that means.

Bandits. Terrorists. These architects of grief have suffered far more decisive blows from our security forces in 2026 alone than these badly raised children and unfortunate celebrities, who have elected to become accessories to destabilisation, have ever witnessed in their lifetimes.

That - will be the subject of my next dispatch.

SHALL I BEGIN?

Good Morning Severally...

[GANI OLADIPO @GANIDIPO]

@PastorMarvy May you and I never be Obi'diots 🙏

[Osas @osazenoo]

IPOB will never rule Nigeria.

Not now not ever.

[Gbotemi @confindence24]

Jagaban

[alpha man @alphaman_111]

11 SIGNS YOU’RE A DANGEROUS PERSON:

1. You stay calm and collected when everyone else panics.

2. You can walk away from anyone or anything without hesitation.

3. You read people’s motives faster than they can hide them.

4. You never argue emotionally — you respond with facts or silence.

5. You use unpredictability as a weapon.

6. You can control your facial expressions in any situation.

7. You listen more than you speak, gathering valuable intel.

8. You think three steps ahead in every situation.

9. You can influence decisions without seeming involved.

10. You never reveal your weaknesses.

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

Dangote’s refinery was built to handle 650,000 barrels a day. It just processed 700,000.

That makes it the largest single-train refinery in the world.

And they’re not stopping. The plan is to push it to 1.4 million barrels a day within the next 30 months.

It’s already selling petrol to America. Jet fuel to Saudi Arabia. Refined products to the UK, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

A few years ago we couldn’t refine our own crude. Now the world is buying from us.

[TallJohn🌍 @JohnFanimokun]

"Dr Abati you were in government when Sanusi Lamido was screaming that any government that succeeds Goodluck Jonathan will face economic headwinds because of subsidy. By 2014, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that Nigeria was broke... If we had removed subsidy 10, 12 years ago, we wouldn't be where we are today." — Political Scientist, Obafemi George

[GANI OLADIPO @GANIDIPO]

@abdullahayofel Koni dara fun Peter Obi 🙏

[Àrẹ̀wà AKÍNKANJÚ @queenee02]

1960 Lagos island. Yoruba women in a clothes market

This area should be around the present day Azikiwe road, Lagos island. That’s where my family Agbole was situated, part of the land is now where Lagos island Central mosque is. Agbole Danmole, same Agbole Jakande is from. He’s my granduncle.

[GANI OLADIPO @GANIDIPO]

@confindence24 Na dat man😁😃😄

[A. Ayofe @abdullahayofel]

Meet @iamnasboi Paid fake News PR Merchant🔥😳

Don't say anything just Retweet>>

[GANI OLADIPO @GANIDIPO]

@dmightyangel Yes o!
The 2 "dindinrins" will eventually become Aso Rock's houseboys!

[GANI OLADIPO @GANIDIPO]

@Tonybrainy 💯💯💯👏