The Sad Story Of The First Nigerian-Made Car – Izuogu Z-600 by Dr Ezekiel Izuogu, FG Failed Promised, media criticism

In 1997, the Izuogu Z-600 was made by Dr Ezekiel Izuogu, an Electrical Engineer and lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede. The car is the first one made in Africa by Africans.

General Sani Abacha, who was head of state at the time, put together a group of 12 committees to check the car’s roadworthiness and authenticity of the car. In the end, the committee said that Dr Izuogu’s car was in good shape. At a well-planned ceremony, Abacha’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, showed off the car. Over 20 ambassadors from other countries were there. The government told Dr Izuogu that it would give him a grant of N235 million.

The government never came through on its promise, and the promise was never kept. Instead, Instead, there was widespread vicious criticism of the car by Nigerians, especially in the media.

In 2005, South Africa became interested in the Z-600. In 2006, the government of South Africa showed a lot more interest in cars. They wanted it to be made in South Africa by Dr Izuogu. They asked him to open a factory in South Africa and start making a lot of cars. Izuogu gave in reluctantly. He said that he didn’t like the idea that Nigerians wouldn’t be able to get jobs from the project.

However, on Saturday, March 11 2006, no fewer than 12 heavily armed men broke into Dr. Izuogu’s factory in Naze in Imo State. The men carted away various machines and tools including the design history notebook of the Z-600. They also stole the design file Z-MASS, containing the design history for the mass production of the Z-600 car. The moulds for various parts of the car were also taken away.

This was a big setback for the project. Since then not much is known about the status of the car. However, there have been reports that unauthorized versions of the car are being manufactured in several countries of the world.

Dr Ezekiel Izuogu is currently involved in the design and development of the emagnetodynamics car engine or the “Izuogu Engine” by the World International Property Organisation.

Review the Design and specification of The Izuogu Z-600

The prototype was equipped with a self-made 1.8L four-cylinder engine that got 18mpg and allowed the car to achieve a top speed of 140 km/h (86 mph). Front Wheel Drive (FWD) was chosen over Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) because a transmission tunnel, which RWD would require, would be more expensive to fabricate. 90% of the car’s components were made locally.

The design of the car was very utilitarian resembling a Renault 4 with its upright stance and a front end that vaguely resembles the locally assembled Peugeot 504.

To be priced at ₦1,480,000 (one million four hundred eighty thousand) – $2000 it would have been the cheapest car in the world.

Clever features like a doorbell used in place of a horn ensure it achieves its low price target. Mass production was planned under Izuogu Motors located in Naze, Imo state, but too many financial and political hurdles prevented the car from proceeding past the prototype stage.

Why Izuogu Z-600 would have been the hope for Nigeria’s automotive industry

The car had a distinctive design and was powered by a 4-cylinder engine with a 1.8-litre displacement. It had a top speed of around 120 km/h (75 mph) and could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in around 15 seconds. The car was also designed to be fuel-efficient, with a reported fuel consumption of 7 litres per 100 km (33 mpg).

Despite its unique design and promising features, the Izuogu Z-600 was not a commercial success and production was eventually halted. However, it remains an important symbol of Nigerian ingenuity and innovation.

The Izuogu Z-600 had the potential to be a significant turning point for the Nigerian automotive industry for several reasons:

1. It was a home-grown solution: The Izuogu Z-600 was the first indigenously built car in Nigeria, which meant that it was designed, engineered, and manufactured entirely by Nigerians. This was a significant achievement, as it demonstrated that Nigeria had the capability to produce high-quality vehicles using locally sourced materials.
2. It was designed to meet local needs: The Izuogu Z-600 was designed with the Nigerian market in mind, which meant that it was built to handle the country’s challenging terrain and weather conditions. It was also fuel-efficient, which was important in a country where fuel prices were often high.
3. It could have created jobs: The production of the Izuogu Z-600 would have created jobs for Nigerians and could have helped boost the country’s economy.
4. It could have encouraged other innovators: The success of the Izuogu Z-600 could have encouraged other Nigerians to take up engineering and innovation, which could have led to further advances in the country’s technology sector.