BY ABIOUDUN SIVOWAKU, Lagos
A foremost indigenous tech solution provider in Nigeria, Carviva Technologies Limited, is deploying automotive solutions for the use of car owners. The solution, among others, allows car owners to source genuine spare parts directly from dealers and manufacturers across the world.
Tagged Carviva Spare Parts Platform, it is designed to ease the challenges associated with the replacement of vehicle spare parts in Nigeria’s unstructured market by providing easy, cheaper, convenient, and smarter ways for car owners to maintain their vehicles via the digital space.
The high influx of imitations and substandard parts in the after-sales automotive market has been a major challenge to many car owners in Nigeria.
Hence, most of the spare part markets are flooded with all manners of substandard products. While some are an outright imitation of the original, sometimes bearing the same logo and identity, others are of ‘lower grade’ often referred to as the ‘China’ version.
Giving reasons for the innovative solution, Carviva chief operations officer, Kola Aroyewun, observed that maintaining a vehicle these days is becoming more challenging than ever before due to the high cost of spare parts and the influx of substandard products.
“Brand new and genuine parts are generally expensive, and only a few are able to afford them. This has increased the craving for ‘fairly used’ (Tokunbo) parts. The problem is further compounded by the forex constraints which are driving up spare parts prices.
“Today, vehicle owners experience a myriad of challenges while trying to replace faulty parts of their vehicles. Car owners have to patronize places like the popular Ladipo market to buy spare parts.
“Due to the ‘unstructured’ nature of the traditional spare parts market in Nigeria, car owners sometimes are told that ‘Goods bought cannot be returned’ while some dealers offer a limited warranty period of 3 to 7 days.
“This leaves car owners with limited options as they have to constantly make difficult choices when it comes to sourcing genuine and brand-new spare parts for their vehicles,’’ Aroyewun explained. The digital solution makes it possible for car owners to access brand new spare parts directly from authorized dealers as opposed to relying on fairly used spare parts popularly known as “Tokunbo’’ in Nigeria’s parlance.
Also, the products come at the prevailing market prices as the buyers get near real-time quotes for the products needed at competitive prices. Aside from granting access to genuine spare parts dealers, Carviva also offers financing via its partners to assist car owners who prefer payment installments and the buy now, pay later scheme.
“Our financing partner checks car owners’ credit score and the buyer is asked to pay an initial 25% – 30% (depending on the credit score) of the whole amount while the balance payment is spread over 3 months at zero percent interest, Carviva COO said.
“Products come with 6 months warranty offers as spare parts are OEM. The spare parts are also promptly delivered in Lagos and any other part of the country. “The platform can be accessed from the comfort of one’s home or office, thus taking off the stress of looking for spare parts in local markets,’’ Aroyewun further noted.
