Dangote Sinotruk, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) and Iron Products Industries (IPI) Ltd emerged as standout winners at the 18th Nigeria Auto Journalists’ Association (NAJA) International Auto Awards, held on Tuesday at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Dangote Sinotruk clinched the Heavy-Duty Truck Brand of the Year award, underscoring its dominance in Nigeria’s commercial vehicle market. The honour was presented by the Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Commander Kehinde Hamzat, to the Sales Manager of Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited (DSWAL), Stella Ekemezie, alongside other company officials.
The award reflects the brand’s growing presence across logistics, construction, mining and industrial sectors, supported by robust vehicle performance, cost efficiency and reliable aftersales service tailored to local conditions.
Operating a Lagos-based assembly plant with an annual installed capacity of about 10,000 units on a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) basis, Dangote Sinotruk produces heavy-duty, medium and light trucks, as well as semi-trailers, for the Nigerian and ECOWAS markets, contributing to local content development and job creation.
In the passenger vehicle segment, IVM was named Passenger Car Assembly Plant of the Year, reaffirming its status as Nigeria’s foremost indigenous automobile manufacturer. The award was received by the company’s General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Obum Osigwe, who thanked NAJA for the recognition.
IPI also recorded a strong showing, winning Truck Assembler/Body Builder of the Year. The award was accepted by its General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Musa Umar, in recognition of the company’s expanding role in truck assembly, vehicle body building and localisation of manufacturing. IPI was recently awarded the NIS ISO 9001:2015 certification by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for meeting high-quality standards.
With over five decades of operations, IPI specialises in light and heavy-duty truck bodies, trailers, refrigerated box bodies, vehicle assembly and steel fabrication, and has executed landmark projects across aviation, oil and gas, and commercial infrastructure nationwide.
Other major winners at the ceremony included Jetour Dashing, named Nigeria’s 2025 Car of the Year, Mikano as Auto Company of the Year, and Lanre Shittu Motors (JAC) as Truck Plant of the Year, highlighting the growing competitiveness of Nigeria’s automotive industry.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Otunba Joseph Osanipin, lauded industry players for deepening local assembly, technology transfer and employment generation, noting that the awards aligned with ongoing efforts to reposition the sector as a key driver of industrial growth.
NAJA Chairman, Mr. Theodore Opara, described the awards as a credible platform for celebrating companies making measurable contributions to Nigeria’s evolving automotive ecosystem, particularly in local manufacturing and value addition.