Ford has announced that the facelifted Ranger pickup truck will be built at a new facility in Ikeja, Nigeria starting from the fourth quarter of this year. Nigeria will thus become the second African country after South Africa to host Ford vehicle production.
The move is part of Ford’s expansion plans in Middle East and Africa. The production of the Ford Ranger will be located in Ikeja in the Lagos state, about 750 km (466 miles) southwest of Nigeria’s capital city Abuja.
The automaker is partnering with Ford dealer group Coscharis Motors Limited on the project.
“Assembling Ford Ranger trucks in Africa’s largest economy is an important milestone in our Middle East and Africa growth plan,” said Jim Benintende, president of Ford Middle East & Africa. “With Coscharis we have the right partner and with the Ford Ranger we have the right product to deliver a world class truck that Nigerian customers want and value,” the executive added.
The Nigerian plant will assemble the vehicles at a semi-knockdown level, using body parts and components imported from South Africa for the new Ranger. The new facility in Ikeja will create approximately 180 jobs directly and indirectly and will have a production capacity of up to 5,000 units annually. Vehicles assembled at Ikeja will be destined exclusively for the local market.
Ford will send experienced employees to Nigeria to assist with implementing the Global Ford Production System, to make sure the facility complies with the company’s standards for safety, quality and delivery.
The Ford Ranger is currently sold in 24 countries on the African continent and was the best-selling vehicle in South Africa for the first half of 2015. Sales of the facelifted Ford Ranger will begin later this year in Africa.
The Ranger is built at Ford’s Silverton Assembly Plant in South Africa and exported to 148 markets including Europe, Middle East and Africa.
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