“The good old days.” That is what comes to mind when you see a DRUM Magazine, Nigerian Edition, story from 1975. It tells how one in 574 Nigerians owned a car due to a buoyant economy and an oil boom.
The story, retrieved by from Archiving, a publication documenting Nigeria’s history, paints a picture of a country where motor assembly plants were thriving and car ownership was steadily rising.
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At the time, Nigeria had three active assembly plants helping to meet the demand for vehicles, filling the gap left by low imports and limited access to spare parts. The DRUM report noted that vehicle registration figures were rising daily, boosted by industrial growth and oil revenue.
For many, owning a car was a sign of progress, and unlike today, civil servants were the largest group of private car users. Salaried government workers could afford cars with relative ease, a reflection of their purchasing power during the oil boom years.
The magazine also highlighted how better roads were opening up villages and towns, encouraging transport and trade. More people were buying trucks and buses to move goods and people, and roads were being built by communities eager to connect to the national economy.
Back then, Nigeria had a population of about 66 million, and owning a car was becoming increasingly common, not just a luxury for the elite. Civil servants, private companies, and industries drove the numbers, while private individuals followed behind.
“In Nigeria, civil servants account for the largest passenger car usage figures… The car industry continues to lead the commercial vehicle industry because affluent people and civil servants see cars as the best means of going about their business,” the report reads.
Today, that balance has shifted. The public sector no longer provides the stability or income it once did. Car ownership has become far more difficult, especially with rising inflation, high fuel prices, and the declining value of the naira.
Abuja-based automobile dealer and CEO of Sarkin Mota Autos, Alamin Muhammad, is known for mocking civil servants’ low capacity to own a car. He uses the catchphrase, “This one no be for civil servant”, in his marketing videos. One of his recent videos recently drew condemnation from the Federal Government, but his favourite catchphrase tells story of less car ownership among civil servants today.
FURTHER READING
The DRUM Magazine is a reminder of a time when Nigeria’s economy gave ordinary citizens the chance to own cars and move freely. But those days, when one out of every 574 Nigerians owned a car, are now history. The buoyant economy and oil boom that made it possible are long gone.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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