Until about 10 years ago, motorcycles in Nigeria were
exclusively Japanese makes, mainly Suzuki and Kawasaki. And then,
only those earning above the average per capita income could afford
to own one.
However the situation has changed considerably since the arrival
of Chinese motorcycle brands in Nigeria, especially Jincheng.
This motorbike is so cheap that almost every family can afford
to own one, and most of them do.
Jincheng motorbikes are not only cheaper, but are also durable
and easily maintained. It seems there are now almost as many
Jincheng motorbikes in Nigeria as there are bicycles in China.
This development contributes a great deal to easing the
transportation problem in the country.
It is not unusual to see people travel between towns separated
by more than 100 km on motorbikes.
In most towns and cities motorcycles are used for commercial
transport and are the preferred means of transportation in areas
with bad roads or heavy traffic.
Through this means of transportation millions of unemployed
youths in the country have been gainfully employed.
In fact, some established transporters have several Jincheng
motorbikes, which they hire out to drivers on a daily basis.
The returns for both the owner and driver are fairly good, such
that after a few months the driver can afford to buy his own
motorbike. This has led a general improvement in the standard of
living.
Accompanying the influx of Jincheng motorbikes into the country
are the motorcycle mechanics and spare-parts dealers.
However, the rapid surge in the number of motorbikes in Nigeria
is not without its disadvantages.
The most obvious is the astronomical increase in the rate of
road accidents and the number of people with body deformities due
to motorcycle accidents.
The emergency and orthopedic wards of many hospitals are filled
with motorcycle accident victims.
This increased number of road accidents is aided by the fact the
roads have not been expanded to cope with the increased number of
users. In addition, some commercial riders are known for being
rather reckless.
The most serious consequence of the increased use of motorbikes
in Nigeria is the toll it is having on the interest of youths in
artisan work.
Many school dropouts often seek jobs as commercial motorbike
riders because it is easy money, rather than learning a skill,
which would provide them with an income for life.
More worrisome is the fact that many previously established
artisans have also left their skilled jobs to join the commercial
motorbike business.
The situation is so bad that it is now fairly difficult to get
an artisan to do a job of good quality at reasonable price and
delivered on time.
If not controlled urgently, the country runs the risk of a
serious shortage of skilled manpower in the very near future.
Clearly concerned about the situation, Nigerian governments at
local, state and federal levels are moving against commercial
motorcycling.
It was banned in the federal capital city of Abujia in 2006, and
the government in partnership with private investors introduced
several luxury buses and taxis to ease the transportation problem
in the city.
Last month, the legislative assembly of the Edo State in the
mid-western region of the country moved a motion to ban commercial
motorcycling in its capital city, Benin.
The motion was adopted by the house but was followed by violent
protests by the concerned motorcyclists who feared they would be
left jobless.
In Lagos, the commercial nerve center of Nigeria, commercial
motorcycling is banned in certain parts of the city and between 7
pm and 6 am throughout the city.
The signs are that in the near future commercial motorcycling
will be restricted to only very remote areas inaccessible to other
vehicles. This would drastically reduce the number and use of the
motorcycles in the country.
This should send a signal to Jincheng and other motorcycle
manufacturers in China to start researching the production of other
vehicles to better suit the situation in Nigeria.
The design should catch to the state of roads, weather
condition, transportation pattern, family structure and basic
requirements for vehicles in Nigeria. On this basis Chinese
companies and investors can employ more Nigerian engineers and
other professionals.
The author is with the Department of Animal Science in the
Faculty of Agriculture at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
(China Daily August 17, 2007)
