Lagos (Punch) – A new Lagos-based Nigerian firm, Buscar Nigeria Limited, has assembled a low-priced high capacity bus, in partnership with the United States engine maker, Cummins Inc.
The automaker said in Lagos at the unveiling of the new vehicle named after the company, Buscar, that it was made as a city bus for Nigerian and African markets.
The Managing Director, Buscar Nigeria Limited, Mr. Friday Yange, said, “Buscar is a capacity premium bus built for urban and rural projects, suitable for both city runs and inter city transportation, capable of responding to the highest demands in peak traffic with serviceability and convenience in mind.
“With superior insight of the African terrain, Buscar is set to emerge as the most reliable, durable bus and coach brand in Africa with the vision to compete globally. Our products are built with top standard features and specifically designed for Africa.”
He said the bus with a price tag of N17m could compete favourably with any of the leading vehicles in its category, having been designed by a world-acclaimed bus builder and carrying the tested Cummins engine.
He also said the firm was working on a bank finance scheme for commercial vehicle/city bus operators to buy the new bus and spread the payment over a period of four years.
Yange recalled that the Buscar journey began in 2005 when he was a freelancer for some notable dealers of Chinese bus brands.
He said, “Mid 2008, we secured and became a distributor for Bonluck in Nigeria. In 2015, the idea of Buscar brand was conceived and birthed in line with the Federal Government’s automotive and local content policy.
“Against the background of increasing globalisation of bus builders, there are a number of emerging new faces in Nigeria and Africa and Buscar is now one of them.”
The Managing Director, Cummins West Africa, Mr. Kwame Gyan-Tawiah, stated that the Buscar strategy was in alignment with the Cummins business philosophy of operating as a global company with local presence.
“Our strategy especially for Africa is to bring our resources closer to our customers and end-users to ensure dependable power, a pleasant experience and all-round after-market solution.”
He said that besides training and other after-sale service provision, Cummins would also ensure the availability of genuine spare parts at affordable and competitive prices for the brand.
Major players in the automotive industry including the President, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Nojeem Yasin, commended the automaker for the design and production of the Buscar bus range specifically made for the African market.
The story Nigerian, US firms jointly assemble low-cost bus, first appeared in The Punch. Additional reports by Tola Ojobo
