First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who calls Mr. Innocent Chukwuma ‘my son’ is obviously not the only proud Nigerian excited about the entrepreneurial skills of the 53 year old Nnewi born billionaire. Just about any Nigerian that would tour any of Chukwuma’s factories in Nnewi, Anambra State or Enugu, Enugu State would show a kindred spirit to a man who has used sheer ingenuity, robust energy and what some associates say unusual
The finished products from Chukwuma’s factory are in every way comparable to the imported vehicles from abroad. While many Nigerians would be delighted to know that the IVM GS 2.4L SUV made by Chukwuma’s Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, IVM compares in every respect with any of the foreign made SUVs, the real thrill for many would be seeing for the first time, the first skeleton of a vehicle being made in Nigeria. Right from scratch! Our editorial team had the rare privilege of being conducted through the motor factory at Uru Nnewi.
Engines for the vehicles are, however, for now imported as Completely Knocked Down, CKD parts. A number of other accessories are also imported but mostly in raw material forms. The most conspicuous element imported is the flat iron sheets, and that, because the ambition by Nigeria to produce flat steel sheet through the Ajaokuta Steel Company has remained a pipe dream after billions of dollars were wasted.
Chukwuma’s IVM factory has five large halls each measuring about 100 meters by 50 meters from where the first skeletons of each of the 12 different types of vehicles are churned out. Innoson which started production with the double cabin pick up and 15 seater mini buses in 2011, today produces mini buses, 45 seater buses, 37 seater buses, 23 seater buses (comparable to Toyota’s Coaster buses) and giant garbage trucks used for refuse disposal. If it is an automobile, just place the orders and it will be made to specification, here in Nnewi, Anambra State.
The icing on the cake is the plan for the first time to commence the production of motor cars
in the plant. The first car is expected to roll out from the factory in April, just a couple of
weeks away. Quite unlike the specialised auto roll out lines in the Western world where one
production line is programmed to roll out a single vehicle, Innoson has two production lines
used in making the 13 product ranges that come out from the factory. One production line is
used for the mini buses, double cabin pick-ups and the SUV product ranges. The other
production line is used for the heavy vehicles, buses and trucks.