Nigeria’s leading auto brands and industry players are heading into another contest for top honors as nominations open for the 19th Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Awards.
The event, set to hold on December 3, 2026 at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, will recognise players across passenger vehicles, commercial transportation, local assembly, after-sales services and alternative-energy mobility.
The Car of the Year category is likely to be among the most closely watched, following the Jetour Dashing’s victory in the 2025 edition, where it beat the Changan CS55 and Chery Tiggo to the top prize.
The awards are expected to attract leading automobile manufacturers, distributors, dealers, financial institutions, policymakers and other stakeholders, as the industry navigates changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, alternative-energy vehicles and renewed efforts to promote local assembly.
The latest contest comes as vehicle brands compete on pricing, technology, design, performance and after-sales support in a market where affordability and maintenance costs remain important considerations for buyers.
Beyond passenger vehicles, the awards will also assess companies involved in truck manufacturing and assembly, electric mobility, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, automotive distribution and workshop services, reflecting the breadth of businesses competing for a share of Nigeria’s vehicle market.
Frank Kintum, chairman of the 2026 NAJA Awards planning committee, said the awards were intended to recognise brands, organisations and individuals contributing to the development of the automotive sector.
Theodore Opara, NAJA chairman, said the awards were designed to recognise measurable performance and meaningful contributions to the automotive ecosystem, rather than simply celebrate the biggest players in the market.
‘The credibility of the evaluation process had helped strengthen the awards’ relevance as a reference point for industry stakeholders,’ Opara noted.
According to the organisers, nominees will be assessed under the association’s approved award procedures, although the specific criteria and evaluation process will be important to establishing how competing brands are judged.
2025 winners set the benchmark
The results of the previous edition offer an indication of the range of businesses competing for recognition this year.
At the 18th NAJA International Auto Awards, held on December 16, 2025, at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, the Jetour Dashing won Car of the Year, while Mikano Motors received the Auto Company of the Year award.
Mikano Motors also won Midsize SUV of the Year with the Changan CS55, while Toyota Nigeria’s Isolo facility received Workshop of the Year. The Toyota Hilux and Toyota Hiace won Pick-Up of the Year and Minibus of the Year, respectively.
vehicle segment, Dangote Sinotruk was named Heavy-Duty Truck Brand of the Year, Iron Products Industries Limited won Truck Assembler/Body Builder of the Year, and Lanre Shittu Motors received Truck Plant of the Year.
In local assembly, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing won Passenger Car Assembly Plant of the Year, while SAGLEV received EV Brand of the Year and Jet Automobiles was recognised as CNG Vehicle Assembler of the Year.
NORD Automobiles won Fastest Growing Auto Brand of the Year, while Carloha Nigeria received awards for auto after-sales and pre-owned vehicle businesses. Winpart by CFAO was named Auto Aftersales Service Provider of the Year.
The individual awards went to Oluwatobi Ajayi, chairman and chief executive officer of NORD Automobiles, in the private-sector category, and Joseph Osanipin, director-general of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, in the public-sector category.
The spread of winners across vehicle brands, assembly plants, commercial vehicles and service providers highlights the range of businesses seeking recognition beyond the passenger-car market.
Industry changes shape competition
The 2026 edition comes as the industry contends with shifting consumer preferences, growing interest in Chinese vehicle brands, efforts to expand local assembly and the adoption of alternative-energy vehicles.
These developments are increasing the importance of factors beyond vehicle sales, including access to spare parts, availability of trained technicians, maintenance costs and the capacity of local facilities to support newer vehicle technologies.
For buyers, these factors can influence the long-term cost of owning a vehicle. For manufacturers and distributors, they can affect customer retention and the ability to compete in a market where purchase price is only one part of the ownership decision.
The awards’ recognition of different segments provides an opportunity to assess them, alongside the headline passenger-car category.