built and modelled after the 15-seater and 20-seater Hiace and Coaster buses.

At a recent visit to the country, the Concept Group, made up of Nigerian professionals in the diaspora, led by Profesor Emmanuel Ezeugwu, was in Abuja at the office of the Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, to showcase the vehicles.

While with Akunyili, the group also solicited the support of the Federal Government in form of partnership for further development of their vehicles.

The minister responding to their request said the Federal Government was ready to partner with any group of Nigerians willing to localise their technology in vehicle manufacturing.

At Akunyili’s office, Ezeugwu said he came with his team to the country to showcase “one of the series of buses conceived, designed and produced” by them “to meet the peculiar needs of Nigerian transport industry.”

Akunyili described the vehicle manufacturing initiative of the group as “a very innovative way to key into the rebranding of Nigeria project.

“I feel very happy that the re-branding Nigeria project is yielding fruits.

“It is in the spirit of rebranding Nigeria that made you come together to think about what to do for your country.

“After staying so many years abroad, you decided to come back home to conceive the idea of building the car, designed it and produced it with a Nigerian name and adapted it to suit local needs,” Akunyili said.

She commended the group for coming up with the idea of developing vehicles, the fact that they gave the vehicles Nigerian names with adaptation to Nigerian local conditions, which she described as “a good omen for the country.”

Akunyili said as far as she was concerned, “this is a better news because that you conceived the project, designed it and people produced it outside is good enough for us.

She gave the group an assurance that government would look into their request and see how it could assist them to realise their objective.

Akunyili, however, noted that government’s assistance would be hinged on the group’s readiness to commence local manufacturing of automobiles.