By Segun Kadiri
Competition in the automotive market is often discussed in familiar terms: prices, vehicle specifications, design, technology, fuel efficiency and the introduction of new models. These factors matter, and consumers should continue to compare them carefully.
But there is another measure of competition that deserves far greater attention in Nigeria: how well automotive businesses take care of customers after a vehicle has been sold.
The issue is important because a vehicle purchase is not a one-day transaction. It begins a relationship that may continue for years, involving maintenance, parts, repairs, warranty claims and the need for technical support. How that relationship is managed can influence customer confidence in a brand and in the wider market.
If a customer encounters a serious problem and cannot obtain clear information, necessary parts or reasonable assistance, the frustration may extend beyond the individual vehicle. It can shape perceptions of the dealer, manufacturer and even the category of vehicles to which the brand belongs.
For this reason, after-sales service should not be treated merely as a support department operating in the background. It should be recognised as a central part of automotive competitiveness.
Customers need more than promises
Strong customer care begins with clear commitments. Buyers should be able to understand what their warranty covers, how scheduled servicing works, where genuine parts can be obtained and what procedures apply when a repair becomes complicated.
It also requires operational capacity. A published warranty has limited practical value if customers cannot access the necessary service network. A roadside assistance number matters only if the response process is adequately organised. A repair-time commitment should be supported by the people, parts and procedures required to make it credible.
This places an obligation on automotive distributors and dealers to match their marketing claims with the systems needed to deliver them.
It also places a responsibility on customers to ask informed questions before making a purchase and to understand the terms attached to the services being offered.
A healthier form of competition
The Nigerian automotive industry would benefit if competitors increasingly sought to outperform one another in the quality of ownership support they provide.
Such competition could encourage better service processes, more transparent warranty terms, improved parts planning, stronger technical training and clearer communication with customers.
The objective should not be to declare a permanent winner. Customer care is an ongoing responsibility, and standards must be demonstrated consistently. Businesses that improve their services should be recognised, while those falling short should have an incentive to do better.
There are examples within the market of more structured after-sales propositions. Carloha’s CarlohaCare 6-6-7 programme, which combines a six-year warranty, six years of free servicing and a seven-day repair promise subject to applicable terms and conditions, illustrates how defined commitments can make customer support more visible in the purchase decision. Its CarlohaCare Rescue service also demonstrates an approach to extending assistance beyond the workshop.
These examples are relevant because they give buyers something concrete to examine. They also provide competitors with a reference point for considering how their own service commitments might be strengthened.
However, no single programme should be the end of the conversation. The industry-wide objective should be continuous improvement, with every provider assessed on the clarity of its promises and the consistency of its delivery.
The role of automotive journalism
Automotive journalism has an important part to play in advancing this conversation. Reporting should move beyond new-model announcements and product launches to examine the realities of ownership.
Journalists can investigate warranty terms, interview service managers and fleet operators, document consumer experiences, explain maintenance requirements and assess the practical challenges of obtaining spare parts. They can also highlight improvements across the industry and ask difficult questions where service commitments are not being met.
Such coverage can help buyers make better decisions while encouraging businesses to take customer care more seriously.
The Nigerian Automotive Journalists Association (NAJA) is well placed to convene this discussion through independent industry analysis, interviews and editorial commentary. A sustained conversation can bring together distributors, manufacturers, fleet operators, consumers and other stakeholders around a shared question: what should Nigerians reasonably expect after buying a vehicle?
The discussion should be evidence-led, balanced and open to different perspectives. It should not become a platform for any one company to dictate the industry’s conclusions.
Making after-sales a buying criterion
Ultimately, the market will change when customers begin to treat after-sales support as a normal part of vehicle comparison.
A prospective buyer should ask about warranty coverage with the same seriousness applied to engine performance. A fleet manager should examine repair turnaround and parts availability alongside acquisition cost. A family should understand what assistance is available if its vehicle becomes unavailable at an inconvenient time.
Dealers that provide clear answers and dependable support should have an advantage. Others should be encouraged to strengthen their offerings.
Nigeria does not need an automotive market in which businesses compete only to sell more cars. It needs one in which they compete to deliver better ownership experiences.
The real measure of customer care is not the promise made at the point of sale. It is the support delivered when the customer needs it most.
That is the standard the industry should work towards — and the standard buyers should learn to demand.
Buy the car. Demand the care.
