Nissan Nigeria’s Recipe For Disaster
No, we are not going to talk about the description of P.M.NEWS Motoring by Nissan Nigeria’s public relations people as ‘an evening paper restricted to Lagos, which cannot harm it’s firm. That was its reaction to an earlier piece on how Nissan sells 4,000 cars annually in Nigeria.
They got it wrong. P.M.NEWS as an evening paper has been a compass for most national dailies, quote me. Let’s rather talk about Nissan Nigeria’s status in the auto business, considering the increasingly stiff competition.
Recall that Nissan in Nigeria had people use the term ‘Force To Be Reckoned With’ to describe the Japanese auto-maker’s climb to becoming Nigeria’s number one car. Their market share in Nigeria was on an unstoppable upward trajectory, their profits were mind-boggling and there was nothing standing in their way of dominating the local market.
But hell-bent on domination, the leadership of Nissan Nigeria, including its public relations firm, went comatose and took their eyes off the ball, walking away from its principles of disciplined product improvements and relentless adherence to cordial public image, embarked on a programme of more-fleet marketing and less retail business, all in the interest of eclipsing Hyundai/Kia or Toyota. And it blew-up in their faces.
In utter disgust, Japan complained! Why sell 4,000 units in a year, compared to what Toyota, Kia or Hyundia imports in a quarter! But still, they never learn, never looked inwards.
Make no mistake, Nissan didn’t have a grand plan for domination in Nigeria, walking almost completely away from the innovative, risk-taking creativity that was their hallmark, instead its hatchet men went about intimidating, blacklisting journalists who dare say a ‘word’ about their products. It was done to the Punch Newspaper correspondent and now it’s time for P.M.NEWS. What a terrible mistake! They always wait for journalists to turn ‘prophets’ to do their jobs and then blacklist those whose non-prophetic utterances are termed satanic. But it’s enough and they know it, which is why they’re scrambling to re-invent themselves.
As a matter of fact if this blackmail and/or blacklist were supposed to bring the Nissan’s faithful back, they’ve blown the opportunity.
The Nigerian auto market competition is growing more difficult to compete in. Like we’ve said many times, mediocrity in the auto business isn’t bliss, it’s just mediocrity. And attempting to be all things to all people is even worse.
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