Toyota Nigeria Limited has thrown its weight behind its leading auto dealer in the country, Elizade Nigeria Limited on its bid to sell used Toyota vehicle, as a way of making Toyota brands available for those who could not afford to buy new vehicles.

Making this disclosure during a recent press briefing at its Lagos headquarters office, the Managing Director, Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL), Mr C. K. Thampy said TNL has a duty of cordinating Toyota vehicles sales in Nigeria through its accredited dealers and would give Elizade the technical support needed in its new business interest.

The Managing Director, Elizade Nigeria Limited, Mr ‘Demola Ade-Ojo, had during a recent press briefing at the company’s Lagos office, where he rolled out plans to celebrate the company’s 41 years of auto dealership in the country, hinted on Elizade Motors’ plan to sell used Toyota vehicles in Nigeria.

Thamphy said TNL is currently controlling an appreciable market share in the country’s automobile business after the assessment of its second quarter performance, adding that TNL had imported over 10,000 units of Toyota vehicles into Nigeria more than the estimated over 24,000 units which had been legitimately shipped into the country.

The increase in imports, Thamphy said had amounted to 15 per cent increase in its volume of vehicle imports, which according to him would in turn yield to a better and improved business transaction in the country, especially in the coming years.

Supported by the trio of TNL Executive Director, Mr Kunle Ade Ojo, Andrew Ajuyah, Head of Marketing, Mr Andrew Ajuyah and Manager, Adverts and Public Relations, Mrs Bukunola Ogunnusi, the MD said TNL would not be responsible for any warranty claim by motorists who ride in Toyota vehicles that came into the country through grey imports.

The Head, Marketing, Andrew Ajuya speaking on the market performance of the recently launched Avanza, said the model is doing well in the market, but he was quick to add that it would be too early to assess its market share.

Specifically answering questions on the Toyota Venza model which is already being driven by a  large number of motorists in the country, Thamphy said such were brought in through grey imports as the model, he said, is not in the line up of TNL’s imports in the country.

Hence, the MD said the users cannot make any warranty claims whenever their vehicles develop problems which require major repairs, adding that TNL does not have the facility to make Venza’s repairs as according to him, the vehicle is not made for Nigerian condition.

He said that though the impact of last year’s Tsunami attack in Japan which was greatly felt by Toyota Motors Company (TMC) slowed down the pace of work at its Japan auto assembly plant, the company, he said, had since overcome the challenge and work had picked up accordingly.