FIIRO, firm to produce brake pad, other vehicle parts
The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) in conjunction with Mulifeong Motors Limited (MML) has sealed a deal to start commercial production of vehicle brake pad and other motor parts and accessories.
This followed the memorandum of understanding signed by the two parties in Lagos recently.
Justifying the need for the business deal, the Acting Director General/CEO, FIIRO, DR. Chima Igwe, disclosed that the Institute working with other research and development bodies has produced brake pad technologies, battery manufacturing technologies, spare parts and vehicular component manufacturing, adding that spark plug refurbishing, lead refinery and ceramic component for transmitting electrical cables were also achieved.
According to FIIRO boss, "The Institute has adopted strategic collaboration with relevant institutions in both the public and private sectors to ensure effective delivery on its mandate. This is in line with the current international best practices to promote effective public-private partnership with a view to reducing production cost, synergising to achieve best results through shared facilities and human resources as well as promoting projects and programmes of mutual benefits.
"In recent years the Institute has collaborated with a number of private companies and institutions locally and internationally which include May & Baker Nigeria Plc., NASCO Foods, Honeywell Group, Covenant University, Landmark University, Afe Babalola University, Lagos Polytechnic, Lancaster University UK, and most recently GIZ/Bosch, a German company to mention a few."
Responding, the Chairman/Managing Director, MML, Princess Mulikat Sanni, stated that her mission for Nigeria was to manufacture made in Nigeria car and not just assembling cars like Nissan, Toyota and some other.
She said, "We need to put our own plans to action. We need to put the right policies in place and we must enforce it, otherwise it will be a mirage. What happened to our Steel rolling mills? We must put it into function to sustain the auto industry.
"We used to have over seven vehicle assembling plants and all those things fizzled out overnight. Nigeria is so blessed that we can manufacture complete vehicles from the scratch to finishing without importing anything. With this MOU, we will have no business importing brake pad anymore. With what you have in FIIRO, we will move this nation forward," she assured, even as she pointed out that the collaboration with FIIRO was to add value to what FIIRO has, stressing that it would impact positively on the nation at large.