NADDC, Toyota, SON, Customs frown over spare parts proliferation

Representatives from Toyota Nigeria Limited, of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Standards Organisation Of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Customs Service, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) and Accident Prevention & Rescue Initiative (APRI) have risen in condemnation of proliferation of sub-standard auto spare parts in Nigeria.

The condemnation was the high point of a one-day training workshop attended by representatives of dealers of automobile technicians and auto technicians in Nigeria. Theme of the workshop was; Identification of sub-standard auto spare parts in Nigeria held at Golden Tulip Hotel, Festac Town Lagos.

In his keynote address, Aminu Jalal, director-general of National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) disclosed that in an effort to mitigate the impact of fake and substandard automobile spare parts in Nigeria, NADDC in collaboration with Standards Organisation Of Nigeria has within the last seven years adopted/adapted about 130 international automotive standards for safety and other parts.

He listed the following as additional efforts of NADDC to enhance standards of the industry. The NADDC boss said almost 80% completion of world class automotive test laboratories for emission, components and materials has been achieved. The laboratories would be commissioned at the end of the year.

At NADDC request, the SON planned to start implementing SONCAP on imported vehicles by requiring that all used vehicles imported into Nigeria should have road worthiness certificate from their country of origin.

Under product quality assessment procedures, the duo are working to ensure that vehicle assembly plants and local content manufacturers are being encouraged and assisted to produce quality items and obtain ISO 9001 QMS Certification.

Speaking on the ‘’Tips for the identification of genuine automotive spare parts’’, Vidyanand Ingale of Toyota Nigeria Limited Spare Parts division and Assembly Plant Project Head defined counterfeit parts as products that use a trademark or copy a design illegally. They are products that when sold, defraud the customer.

Ingale decried a situation where many unsuspecting end users are deceived into buying the counterfeit parts because the price of these parts are cheap but long time effect is very costly. He recalled that the campaign for Toyota Genuine and against fake parts has been on for a long time.

The Toyota Nigeria representative outlined four major points to keep in mind when detecting counterfeit spare parts. He said under packaging, there are identifiable differences in spelling of logo, type face or font width of logo and sometimes has rough finishing.

Under the product design, differences abound in shape or structure of the product, position of manufacturers’ name, even as product is dirty. Furthermore, wholesale or retail price is extremely low. Performance is inferior to that of genuine parts.

The brake pads wears quickly, lacks durability and develops low braking force. Fake oil and air filters have poor quality element, low filtration performance and short life. While fake spark plugs develops low resistance, there is a possibility of it melting, even as low quality belts lack durability, the seal breaks easily, giving rise to leaks. In most cases, the body parts do not fit the vehicle body tightly.