Beyond the Showroom: Why Nigerian Car Buyers Must Demand More Than Four Wheels

Bennett Oghifo

For many Nigerians, buying a brand-new vehicle represents a major financial commitment, often involving years of savings, bank loans or carefully planned investments. Yet, the excitement of driving a new car home can quickly turn into frustration when the vehicle develops a fault and the dealer suddenly becomes difficult to reach.

This growing disconnect between the promises made at the point of sale and the support customers receive afterwards has brought the issue of after-sales service into sharper focus in Nigeria’s automotive industry.

Consumer rights advocate, Akonte Ekine, knows this experience firsthand. He recalled purchasing a brand-new vehicle through a bank only for it to develop a problem barely two weeks after delivery. His attempts to obtain assistance from the seller and insurance company, he said, yielded little response.

“I once spent my good money to buy a brand-new car through a bank and just two weeks after, the car developed a problem. I complained to the seller and to my insurance but they didn’t even show interest in the situation,” Ekine told BusinessDay.

His experience raises an important question for automobile manufacturers, distributors and dealers: What happens to the customer after the money has changed hands?

For Ekine, the answer should be straightforward. Businesses must deliver the quality of service promised to customers, regardless of the market in which they operate.

“The consumer is the same everywhere. What he or she wants is simple quality service based on the brand promise,” he said.

The concern goes beyond individual experiences. In Nigeria, where vehicle ownership involves considerable financial sacrifice, access to genuine spare parts, qualified technicians, warranty services and timely repairs can significantly influence the overall ownership experience.

Importantly, consumers are not without legal protection.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr Tunji Bello, has reinforced this position, insisting that businesses cannot evade their statutory obligations through restrictive company policies.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the FCCPC and Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) in Lagos on July 29, 2026, Bello said consumers were entitled to appropriate remedies when goods failed to meet legally required standards.

“They must also know that where the law gives them the right to a refund, replacement, or repair, that right will be respected,” he stated.

He further emphasised that: “Every transaction also carries an implied warranty that goods supplied will be of acceptable quality and fit for the purpose for which they were purchased.”

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 provides for consumers’ entitlement to goods of acceptable quality, while Section 132 establishes an implied warranty of quality and provides remedies for qualifying defective products.

For the automotive industry, this should serve as more than a regulatory reminder. It is a call to rethink customer relationships and recognise that a vehicle purchase is the beginning, not the end, of a business relationship.

Automobile brands that invest in responsive customer care, transparent warranty arrangements, accessible service centres and reliable spare-parts networks stand a better chance of earning consumer confidence and securing repeat patronage.

Ultimately, the real test of an automobile brand is not simply how attractive its vehicles look in the showroom or how aggressively they are marketed. It is how the company treats customers when the excitement of a new purchase gives way to the realities of vehicle ownership.

For Nigerian buyers, the lesson is equally important: before collecting the keys, ask what happens when something goes wrong. A good vehicle should come with the assurance that the people who sold it will not disappear when their customers need them most.