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20261011 110000 UTC
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[00:00:59] Hello!
[00:01:00] and welcome to our millions of viewers here in Nigeria, the
[00:01:03] continent and all around the world. This
[00:01:07] is amazing Africans, the documentary
[00:01:10] series that captures the incredible stories of Africans
[00:01:14] making exceptional impact here in the continents and across the world. I
[00:01:18] am Kelly Egiga. Today we're filming
[00:01:22] from Innewi in southeast Nigeria, and
[00:01:26] that's because we're here to meet with the CEO and founder of
[00:01:30] innocent vehicle manufacturing company, IVM for
[00:01:33] short, chief innocent Chukuma, that's because IVM
[00:01:37] is
[00:01:39] of Nigeria's first indigenous manufacturing company,
[00:01:42] let's get to hear his
[00:01:44] story,
[00:01:49] in of manufacturing is about more than producing vehicle,
[00:01:53] supporting local businesses and building economy that can stand
[00:01:56] strong, as Nigeria promotes energy. solution
[00:02:00] like CNG, we appreciate the effort and policies that
[00:02:04] support this transition, however, for a country to develop strong
[00:02:07] industies, we must create an environment that encourage investors
[00:02:11] and industrials to build here, when policies
[00:02:15] making importing products easier than producing locally, it can
[00:02:19] discourage those that want to invest, build factories, create jobs
[00:02:22] and technology within
[00:02:24] of Nigeria, industrial growth requires commitment,
[00:02:28] because building factory years of investment, training,
[00:02:32] planning and dedication. Our hope is that
[00:02:35] policies will continue to support local productions,
[00:02:39] because every factory established in Nigeria create opportunities for
[00:02:43] Nigerians and straighten their economy, when we manufacture here, we
[00:02:47] create job here, develop skills here and build a stronger future
[00:02:51] for Nigeria. Hiden is the heart of
[00:02:54] Anambra state lies
[00:02:56] a city unlike any other in West Africa.
[00:03:00] town where every street hums with
[00:03:03] industry and
[00:03:05] of innovation. this is
[00:03:08] nei, and today we are meeting the
[00:03:11] man who dared to put Nigeria on the automotive
[00:03:15] map.
[00:03:23] my friend, i am here to meet the trail blazer
[00:03:27] himself, innocent chukuma, but
[00:03:30] of before the engines war, before the machines
[00:03:33] awaken, a leader gets to
[00:03:36] work, because i'm playing tennis, i'm always
[00:03:40] like to make my body feet before going to
[00:03:43] tennis, yeah, yes i start
[00:03:46] out,
[00:03:53] of of everything here, yeah,
[00:03:57] it's all.
[00:04:12] of
[00:04:22] of
[00:04:27] of
[00:04:30] discipline with and consistency, exercise is life,
[00:04:37] of CEO, a success doesn't
[00:04:41] start in the board room, when
[00:04:46] me starts you it wake up and do exercise, your body will come back, any
[00:04:51] a in ans we exit the
[00:04:54] gym, the place where chief Chukuma tells me he builds
[00:04:58] strength before he builds. strategy we had for the long
[00:05:02] tennis court a sports, he's been playing for
[00:05:05] 28 years, yes it is
[00:05:08] 1980, young 1980
[00:05:11] yes. because if
[00:05:15] leave myself like uh one month two months
[00:05:19] i see the difference in so i come back to
[00:05:22] excise you i'm a very busy person but must create time
[00:05:26] for excise i really imagine how
[00:05:28] you do yes yes yes
[00:05:29] yes
[00:06:00] Done with the exercise, chief Chukuma takes
[00:06:04] me a ride in his IVM's M hero a
[00:06:08] luxury vehicle and our destination is IVM factory.
[00:06:30] He says he makes it a policy to test drive every
[00:06:34] car for a period of at least 3 months
[00:06:38] before it hits the
[00:06:39] market.
[00:06:48] wow
[00:06:48] this is this car
[00:06:52] has everything that can you see as we work
[00:06:56] out lock itself as we shift out of
[00:06:59] it it locks automatically automatic we shift out of
[00:07:03] it as
[00:07:04] i have le that place you lock out open your again and i
[00:07:08] don't k it wow you will enjoy the car if
[00:07:12] you able to have it, at the factory, the hum of
[00:07:16] machinery, sparks of welding and rore of
[00:07:19] engines tell a new kind of success
[00:07:21] story,
[00:07:37] this is innocent vehicle manufacturing,
[00:07:40] africa's first indigenous car makaker and it's
[00:07:44] driving a big change in Nigeria's automobile
[00:07:48] sector, this is
[00:07:50] the manufacturing
[00:07:53] the company
[00:07:53] now you see so this engine produces
[00:07:57] 15
[00:07:57] buses
[00:08:02] 17 se 18 se 15 se only can
[00:08:05] produce
[00:08:06] here.
[00:08:12] 100% wow
[00:08:23] production 100%
[00:08:24] 100%
[00:08:27] 100% we farm dis we
[00:08:28] f everything
[00:08:37] is way forward now with what the government is doing on
[00:08:41] CNG I believe.
[00:08:45] because government focus attention to
[00:08:48] make changes happen in Nigeria, so I believe that
[00:08:52] we have a greater future on CNG, that's why I started
[00:08:56] producing CNG in all buses and changing
[00:09:00] all cars now, yes and
[00:09:04] there is some them that use cng and also
[00:09:07] use, but also convert to CNG, but now we focus
[00:09:11] on producing CNG.
[00:09:12] because
[00:09:14] they economics mainly
[00:09:16] commercial vehicles so that the transporter can
[00:09:19] make it. what about the concerns? people say oh the gas can
[00:09:23] explode. people do not understand what is
[00:09:27] cng
[00:09:29] and normal gas cylinder for cooking?
[00:09:32] some people are trying to use the one for cooking is
[00:09:35] safer.
[00:09:39] we have a system maintain. the guyline
[00:09:43] is more safer than we started the production before
[00:09:47] the government attention on it,
[00:09:51] many people now are going to CNG because of government want people to use
[00:09:54] CNG, but
[00:09:56] we have started two years before, yes we made the
[00:09:59] system, we we design it and we are doing it
[00:10:02] correct, founded in
[00:10:05] 2007, innocent motors has grown from
[00:10:09] daring idea to a symbol of local pride.
[00:10:13] now producing a wide range of vehicles from slick
[00:10:16] sadents to rugged pickups and buses tailored
[00:10:20] to nigerian
[00:10:21] roads.
[00:10:46] These cars are designed with the Nigerian
[00:10:49] terrain in mind, durable, fuel
[00:10:52] efficient and most importantly,
[00:10:54] affordable.
[00:11:28] my next stop is electric vehicles which are gaining
[00:11:31] traction here in Nigeria and the continent with
[00:11:35] both local and international brands offering
[00:11:38] options.
[00:11:43] people are so much interested and because of
[00:11:46] how you look at
[00:11:49] it.
[00:11:56] no engine, wow, electric, but you can
[00:12:00] move, you can drive it and they can go anywhere
[00:12:03] anywhere, yes anywhere, this one
[00:12:07] cover, the charging will be cover 400 km,
[00:12:11] 400 km, 400 km, charge again, because that's one the concerns for
[00:12:14] people, this
[00:12:15] one is 400 km, it charge again,
[00:12:18] wow, therans are a bit concerned about how do we get
[00:12:22] to charge,
[00:12:55] as businessman, i'm sure you
[00:12:56] be in to someday have factory, if
[00:13:00] any state by buy anf
[00:13:03] a little vehicle from me and make a charging point in the estate, oh wow, free
[00:13:07] of charge, wow, if they buy enough
[00:13:11] quantity from me, for myself, make a charging point in
[00:13:15] the city, where
[00:13:16] the charger
[00:13:17] can charge elles, any states, i'm ready to do that
[00:13:21] for them, wow, have you done it for any states yet?
[00:13:25] Yes, I negotiating to do, oh great, fantastic, fantastic.
[00:13:29] IVM is one the key players here in Nigeria,
[00:13:32] producing various electric vehicles and while the
[00:13:36] current EV adoption rate is relatively low,
[00:13:39] it's steadily increasing, field by rising
[00:13:43] fuel cost, environmental concerns and growing
[00:13:47] demand for urban transport. Nigeria has
[00:13:50] also set ambitious goals including
[00:13:54] 100%. zero emission sales for new cars and
[00:13:58] vans by 2040, but is
[00:14:01] this target feasible in future
[00:14:05] people go to CNG and electric car, they go to
[00:14:09] CNG more, because yes, electric
[00:14:13] car, um, Nigerians, Nigerians
[00:14:16] doesn't like battery and have about 80
[00:14:20] years livespan, and if the batty die in 80 years of
[00:14:24] lifeespan. you will buy a new battery
[00:14:27] until we have factory here that produce battery that you can take your
[00:14:31] old battery and they take small money and give you new
[00:14:35] one that's where the electric car will go if your factory
[00:14:39] start to produce the battery here as soon as the battery is not here
[00:14:43] after 80 years this original battery will go you must change
[00:14:46] it and the cost the battery it cost you not
[00:14:50] less than uh 40 40% the car
[00:14:54] oh wow yes and Nigeria drive motor 80 is still new
[00:14:57] motor, you understand? if you are ready to buy that
[00:15:01] battery for 40% the car,
[00:15:03] you use that 80 years, wow, yes, but if there is battery
[00:15:07] company here that produce battery, you will take your old battery and give
[00:15:11] them, they give the battery a smaller price, you
[00:15:15] understand, so that's why i think cng is more easy,
[00:15:19] because ch is everywhere in Nigeria,
[00:15:22] but Nigerians are yet
[00:15:24] to truly. we
[00:15:25] are a bit skeptical about electric, but they will go,
[00:15:28] they eventually they will, you say this is the future, yes
[00:15:31] this is the future, electric car is the future, when when
[00:15:34] you i know you travel lot, you go to asian countries, japan, china,
[00:15:46] cars there, well um, in other countries now,
[00:15:50] most cars are going to
[00:15:53] electric because of cost of f, some
[00:15:56] countries are using CNG, you understand, so Nigeria
[00:16:00] have the incentive, people, people that ready to buy electric is
[00:16:04] available for them, people that want to buy CNG available for them,
[00:16:08] we are here to serve them on their demand. Nigeria is
[00:16:12] seeing increase in EV usage with estimates
[00:16:16] ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 EVs on the
[00:16:19] roads in early 2025. In fact,
[00:16:23] the Nigerian government to understand aims to increase local EV
[00:16:27] production to at least 30% by
[00:16:30] 2032, according to its national action plan
[00:16:34] for the development of electric vehicle. are also on the
[00:16:38] way to expand charging infrastructure,
[00:16:42] including the establishment of charging stations,
[00:16:45] but there are challenges and then opportunities
[00:16:49] too, for instance, while some EVs are becoming more
[00:16:53] affordable, the initial cost of purchasing an EV can
[00:16:57] still be a barrier for some consumers, ensuring wide
[00:17:00] spread availability of charging stations, especially in
[00:17:04] rural areas is crucial for further EV. adoption
[00:17:08] and then government policies and incentives play a
[00:17:12] vital role in promoting EV adoption and local
[00:17:15] manufacturing. In the meantime, continued innovation
[00:17:19] in battery technology and charging solutions will be
[00:17:23] essential for improving EV performance and
[00:17:26] affordability
[00:17:35] and as innocent impact, extends far beyond
[00:17:39] manufacturing with over 700 direct and
[00:17:42] indirect jobs created and a strong supply chain rooted in
[00:17:46] local partnerships, the company is driving up
[00:17:50] industrialization in many ways, few
[00:17:53] expected,
[00:18:01] we visitway ultra modern market, it was
[00:18:04] here that chief innocent first hand with his days
[00:18:08] of little beginnings selling spare parts
[00:18:11] and now he uses the facility to display
[00:18:15] motorcycles and tricycles while some offices still
[00:18:19] continue selling spare parts, but what's the
[00:18:22] story behind this
[00:18:25] visionary? i was born
[00:18:27] in neigh,
[00:18:31] and i have um my
[00:18:34] mother born for... boys
[00:18:38] and two girls, out of all, I'm the last
[00:18:42] son of my family, I started my school
[00:18:45] at at St. Michael
[00:18:49] Catholic school, my father died
[00:18:52] 1978, while my mother
[00:18:56] by 2000 and
[00:18:58] 20,
[00:19:01] 23, how will you describe your father and your mother?
[00:19:05] Oh, in fact I will
[00:19:07] say that... two them are very close, my father is a civil
[00:19:10] servant before he
[00:19:12] retire and do private
[00:19:15] business so
[00:19:18] and my mother is
[00:19:20] housewife
[00:19:23] and when my
[00:19:26] father die see i feel like end
[00:19:30] the it is world the buse i don't know my father will
[00:19:33] die was i was 18 years when he died
[00:20:08] so my father and all my family and looking care of me very
[00:20:11] well, i'm not sure if the accident is result of this car,
[00:20:15] yes part of it, wow, it is
[00:20:19] my to wash when my
[00:20:22] brother to cross the road,
[00:20:25] i rem to pick my first brush,
[00:20:27] then smashed
[00:20:31] me and nobody believe that i'm
[00:20:34] i
[00:20:41] person for about 3 hours before there is a
[00:20:44] sign,
[00:20:49] hospital. Well, I'm sure you're grateful that you're life today. I'm so
[00:20:53] grateful, I'm happy that I live
[00:20:57] today. In
[00:21:00] 1978, after he was down with secondary
[00:21:04] education, he applied to study engineering at the
[00:21:07] university, but while waiting, he realized he
[00:21:11] did not meet the cut of mark. He later went to help his
[00:21:15] elder brother Gabriel out in his medicine store with
[00:21:19] his. brother, he realized
[00:21:22] he had natural talent for trading, and that's why in
[00:21:25] 1981, after his education, the young
[00:21:29] innocent began trading in spare parts, very
[00:21:32] lucrative business in southeast Nigeria, he then
[00:21:36] founded the company, Innocent Group with Innocent
[00:21:39] Manufacturing, Innocent Tech and Industries code
[00:21:43] Limited as its subsidiaries in
[00:21:45] 1982. In
[00:21:49] 2000. se innoson vehicle manufacturing was
[00:21:53] established with its headquarters in neiwi
[00:21:57] and number states. IVM is also known as the
[00:22:01] pride of African roads. I started
[00:22:04] with Mr.
[00:22:06] America,
[00:22:09] this. He teach me how to be
[00:22:13] trading trappers after
[00:22:17] that um... brother established for
[00:22:21] me and start and and
[00:22:24] trade for my brother for some years
[00:22:28] then from there my brother established my
[00:22:30] own so my brother Mr
[00:22:34] Gabriel Schuma he established me
[00:22:38] my own after i trade for him for some time
[00:22:41] so from there on that
[00:22:45] trading i
[00:22:48] le motorcycle sp from that i start
[00:22:52] b motor sps from there i i start motorcycle
[00:22:56] assembly when i start motorcycle assembling it is only
[00:23:00] very few company are doing motorcycle assembling
[00:23:03] honda is doing for um are
[00:23:07] doing for honda b are doing for
[00:23:11] suzuki uh doing
[00:23:15] for yamaha so i'm the fifth
[00:23:18] company that's established
[00:23:27] then so i started with a
[00:23:30] inosin motorcycle,
[00:23:33] do um
[00:23:37] some brands, so my company is the fifth company
[00:23:41] that assembling, so from
[00:23:44] there i do
[00:23:47] plastic manufacturing.
[00:23:55] am producing
[00:23:56] where i plastic, my plastic company is the largest in west africaping
[00:24:00] today, wow, yes i have very large plastic
[00:24:04] company, i have also
[00:24:07] factory and also i have tire factory,
[00:24:10] motorcycle tire factory, so before i
[00:24:14] think of moto manufacturing, so when i look i
[00:24:18] feel that nigerians
[00:24:20] "i am always going to buy secondh vehicles, so
[00:24:24] look at it and study why not just going back to
[00:24:28] buy some vehicle. i found because of it's too expensive,
[00:24:32] decided to do it here so that the price
[00:24:36] will be down for people, that's what makes
[00:24:40] me to go and start motor
[00:24:41] manufacturing,
[00:24:45] IVM has partnered with state government, security
[00:24:49] agencies, and educational institutions,
[00:24:53] supplying customized vehicles and offering technical
[00:24:57] training, there is
[00:24:59] a time insurgence are disturbing some
[00:25:03] areas in our side of Nigeria and air
[00:25:06] force are ready to work, but because of
[00:25:10] some problems they cannot get their spare pass from
[00:25:14] oversea, when they come to me the black
[00:25:18] assembling and i manufacture it in my
[00:25:21] faction even better than the one they
[00:25:24] import, do it for them, give them, that's what they
[00:25:28] use to tackle the their job that time, and they
[00:25:31] recommended me to the Nigerian defense
[00:25:34] academy, they give a doctorate degree because of
[00:25:37] that effort i make, when there is
[00:25:41] c 19, so there's no
[00:25:45] ambulances, they come to me, i
[00:25:48] produce massive ambulances is to Nigerians that time they cannot even
[00:25:52] import it, nobody can do better produce the local, give
[00:25:56] them, that's it is important to support to
[00:25:59] support local, if
[00:26:01] you are supporting local when there's emergency it should
[00:26:04] help. the company doesn't just
[00:26:08] assemble cars, it builds opportunities. with
[00:26:12] over 70% of vehicle components made locally, the
[00:26:16] company has become a key employer across the southeast
[00:26:19] region, directly and indirectly creating thousands
[00:26:23] of jobs in manufacturing, logistics, sales
[00:26:27] and service, yet perhaps the
[00:26:30] most transformative part of... innocent story is not what it
[00:26:34] buils in factories, but what it builds in
[00:26:38] people. what is that? if you are capable
[00:26:42] to do the job well, i employ no matter where you are from, i'm
[00:26:46] not interested in tr, i'm interested to you to
[00:26:49] work, if you are working well, you are my
[00:26:52] friend, so i'm not interested
[00:26:56] to to ask, are you from which region, it's not
[00:26:59] important, the important is for you to do the job. well and in
[00:27:03] states like kaduna and cano, IVM vehicles are becoming
[00:27:07] common sites from rugged pickup trucks used in
[00:27:10] farming to buses serving local schools and government
[00:27:14] agencies, but what's next for chief
[00:27:18] innocent Chukuma and the IVM brand?
[00:27:22] because of CNG and electric motor i'm building new
[00:27:26] factory that will content
[00:27:28] uh um I want to
[00:27:32] operate the factory so that one will be for the small cars, one
[00:27:36] will be for big ones, so the the new factory will be for the
[00:27:40] big trucks because the space, factory that
[00:27:44] has capacity to produce um
[00:27:47] cng, buses and truck um about
[00:27:51] 30,000 a year, because without
[00:27:55] that factory now uh when the cng pick
[00:27:59] in Nigeria without that factor it will be difficult to supply.
[00:28:03] so I'm building it already and it should be ready in short time.
[00:28:07] Innocent Motors isn't just factory.
[00:28:11] It's a symbol,
[00:28:13] a bold statement that Africa can build,
[00:28:17] innovate and compete. With over
[00:28:20] 10,00 vehicles on African roads and counting,
[00:28:24] Innocent Motors is now the pride the
[00:28:27] continent. IVM is proving that Nigeria
[00:28:31] doesn't have to rely. soly on imports, it's not just about
[00:28:35] cars, it's about sovereignty, jobs and the
[00:28:39] future where we export and not just
[00:28:42] consume, from tackling unemployment to giving
[00:28:46] Nigeria seat at the table in the global auto
[00:28:50] industry. Innocent Motors isn't just building
[00:28:54] vehicles, it's building vision, and as the wheels of
[00:28:57] progress turn, the road ahead looks
[00:29:01] promising.
[00:29:05] as Nigeria looks to diversify its economy and embrace
[00:29:09] home grown innovation, companies like
[00:29:12] Innocent the country into a new
[00:29:15] era, one vehicle a time, from the
[00:29:19] streets of Newi to the highways of
[00:29:22] Africa, chief Innocent Chukuma's
[00:29:25] vision rows ahead, he is more than an
[00:29:29] entrepreneur, chief Chukuma is... and
[00:29:33] this home grown revolution, that's why he
[00:29:37] is an amazing
[00:29:39] African.
[00:29:49] From his days of little beginnings to
[00:29:53] building a dynasty in the automobile
[00:29:56] industry. Chief Innocent Chukuma's
[00:29:59] story is exceptionally.
[00:30:02] inspirational and that's why he is an
[00:30:06] amazing African, that's the show
[00:30:10] everyone, but you can join us again next time for another
[00:30:13] episode the program from Newi
[00:30:17] in Southeast Nigeria, I am Kelly,
[00:30:21] Egiga and I will see you again next time, bye
[00:30:24] now.