Sixt plans expansion to more Nigerian cities, records significant growth

General Manager of SIXT Nigeria, Christian Chigbundu, said the organisation is determined to address transportation challenge in Nigeria, particularly in the aspect of rental and leasing servicing, as it concludes arrangement to extend service to more cities in the country.

Chigbundu, speaking at the company’s yearly national conference in Lagos, said the organisation has recorded significant growth, increasing the number of its fleet to above 500 in less than three years of operation.

According to him, the company, which operates through Coscharis Mobility Limited, will introduce a new application in the first quarter of 2018, to make services quick and efficient for users.

“Despite the current economic challenges, when we started about four years ago, our projection was to have 75 cars within three years, as at last count, we have more than 500 cars, 80 per cent of which are under leasing and 20 per cent are under car rental business. So if you compare 75 to 500, that will tell you what we have done.

“We are expanding to Calabar, and Enugu to serve our customers in those areas better. We have operational office in Kano to take care of the far north. Sixth was launched in Benin Repulic last Saturday, so we have a strong brand.

“We want to establish a regional market. Nigerians who want to travel to Benin Republic can come to us and we drop him\her at the border. A Sixt vehicle, in Benin could convey you from there and bring you back, and as you are returning, you cross the border and sixt Nigeria will pick you,” Chigbundu said.

He said the company is not in competition with the Taxi and companies in the country, stressing that the firm is optimistic about the future of the tailored services and group it targets.

Chigbundu, who said the current economic challenges in Nigeria have increased cost of vehicles, noted: “People are leasing or renting old cars, not new cars, the cost of assets are now very high. Our clients are asking to rent old cars not new cars, that is a problem to us.

“You cannot even buy brand new cars to lease, if you buy, the cost will be very high because of asset cost. So you continue to lease and rent old cars. On the other hand maintenance cost is also very high.”