In a bold move to strengthen local manufacturing and reduce Nigeria's dependence on fully imported vehicles, Cedric Masters Group has officially expanded its assembly operations with the commissioning of additional capacity at its Lekki facility. The expansion, completed earlier this year, is a key milestone in the Group's broader strategy to position Nigeria as a competitive hub for vehicle assembly, automotive component production, and clean-energy mobility.
The expanded plant adds significant capacity for semi-knocked-down (SKD) and completely-knocked-down (CKD) assembly across multiple vehicle categories, including sedans, SUVs, buses, and commercial trucks. It also creates room for a dedicated line for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, in line with Cedric Masters' strategy to localize the assembly of EVs from partner brands alongside its growing clean-energy business.
Local assembly delivers tangible benefits to Nigerian consumers and the broader economy. Vehicles assembled locally are better matched to local operating conditions, with specifications tailored to climate, fuel quality, road conditions, and customer preferences. Local assembly also shortens delivery timelines, reduces landed costs, and supports a domestic supply chain that creates skilled jobs. Every vehicle that rolls off the Cedric Masters line undergoes a comprehensive quality inspection aligned with global standards.
The expansion is also a signal to the wider industry. Cedric Masters continues to advocate, through industry bodies such as ALCMAN and the NADDC, for stronger local content policies, more deliberate investment in component manufacturing, and a long-term national plan for automotive industrialization. With this expansion, the Group is not just adding capacity; it is putting down a marker that local assembly, done to global standards, can be a competitive, sustainable, and strategically important part of Nigeria's industrial future.
