Why the branded Hilux pick-up is called ‘Gaddafi’

Reports say that late Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi entered a memorandum of understanding with the Japanese government and Toyota Motor Corporation for the manufacture of branded Toyota Hilux for his people. This, according to a Nigerian car dealer, Alhaji Salisu Musa Abdullahi, Managing Director of Continental Motors on Sultan Road Kaduna, led to the […]

Reports say that late Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi entered a memorandum of understanding with the Japanese government and Toyota Motor Corporation for the manufacture of branded Toyota Hilux for his people.
This, according to a Nigerian car dealer, Alhaji Salisu Musa Abdullahi, Managing Director of Continental Motors on Sultan Road Kaduna, led to the manufacture and direct sale of the vehicle in large numbers to the then Libyan government without the unnecessary commission given to agents.
He said the reason behind this was for the Libyan people to be self-employed and have a means of livelihood, instead of waiting for government handouts. As such, soft loans were given for the vehicles under a scheme to cushion the effect of unemployment because foreigners were the rising workforce due to the oil boom.
The scheme guaranteed for citizens to apply and get the Hilux vehicles and pay in installments within a given period of time. That the oil boom had made most of the people lazy and instead of conveying goods with the pick-ups for a fee, they resorted to selling them across the country’s borders to Niger Republic and other countries.
Abdullahi said this made the cars relatively cheap compared to the conventional white painted Hilux in the market in most neighboring countries and Nigeria. That was how the name ‘Gaddafi’ came about, he explained.
The managing director revealed that the brand new Toyota Hilux costs about N5 million, but Gaddafi gave his people the vehicle at the rate of about N1 million, so they sold them at high prices due to its demand in the market.
However, Abdullahi said the unique features of Hilux is its red and black or red and brown paint sprayed from the fender to the back of the car with Hilux 2700 written on it and 4×4, meaning four-wheel drive. The mirror also has an Arabic inscription on it.
Most have 2.7-litre petrol and engine capacity, the same type used for Toyota Prado SUV. They vary between a four cylinder engine capacity and six cylinder three litre engine capacity (V6, 3.0 litres).
On how much the ‘Gaddafi’ van costs in Nigeria, the car dealer said it depends on the demand and supply. When Gaddafi was alive, they were sold for between N2.5 million and N3.5 million; while a non-Gaddafi Hilux imported by Nigerian dealers was sold between N4.5 million to N5 million.
However, after the fall of Gaddafi, the cars became scarce and the prices went up. Later the demand for the cars went down because they are not easy to come by. But there are still some individuals that go for it despite the wear and tear. Car dealers don’t buy the ones that have suffered from severe usage, including corporate organisations and government ministries, department and agencies, the dealer explained.