PAN Nigeria Limited has commenced the production of Higer Bus in its manufacturing plant in Kaduna, after its recent partnership with Higer Bus Company Limited of China.
PAN Nigeria is Nigeria’s foremost multi-brand automobile manufacturer and assembler and Higer Bus Company is China’s leading exporter of buses and coaches. The Higer company’s vehicles are available in over 100 countries in Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
The models to be manufactured in Nigeria are Higer H5C 16-seats, Higer H6C 19-seats and Higer Ambulance. The vehicles are useful for mass transit, transportation of school children, and ambulance services. Also, the vehicles started rolling off the company’s Kaduna assembly lines in December 2019. The partnership enables the delivery of city buses for intra-city bus services.
The Higer Bus possesses features like charging ports for every passenger, park-assist, rear camera, DVD/15’ LCD Display for passengers as well as well spaced leg and head room. In addition to these features, the Higer Ambulance comes with state-of-the-art medical equipment like suction catheters, stretcher belts and anatomical mattress, silicon resuscitators with mask, pulse oximeter, digital thermometer, 2kg fire extinguisher, automatic loading stretcher, scoop stretcher, AC/DC electronic suction machine, oxygen regulator and so on.
While talking about the production, the Managing Director of PAN Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed said: “PAN Nigeria has a long rich history in the production of quality vehicles in Nigeria, which have proved to be durable and high performing. Some of the station wagon ambulances that we produced as far back as the 1980s are still being operated by some hospitals in urban and rural communities throughout the country. The Higer Ambulance and transport buses will follow this proud tradition of durability and quality.
“With the recent Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, hospitals and other health establishments, along with their doctors, nurses and other personnel are currently going through trying times. There is a huge need today for many more ambulances to be supplied to this sector, and we are responding to this national challenge by opening up a new production line in our factory dedicated to producing these emergency medical vehicles.”
The company’s Head of Quality, Mr. Ojo Oladapo said: “PAN Nigeria today has enough capacity to meet all the country’s need for ambulances, school buses and mass transit vehicles. The bulk of the interior fittings in the Higer Bus are sourced locally from suppliers spread across the country.
“Our factory currently has an installed capacity to produce 45,000 vehicles in a year. Producing these vehicles locally will deepen productive activities, create important backward linkages, increase employment and preserve foreign exchange. The new Higer Bus models will be marketed, distributed, and represented by PAN’s accredited dealers across the country.”
