Vehicle inspection requests surge 22% – Report

…depicts shift in used car buyers’ behaviour

As inflation and FX volatility continue to impact Nigeria’s automotive sector, new data showed that Nigerians’ approach to used vehicle or tokunbo purchases is beginning to change.

This is as Cars45, a leading vehicle inspection and valuation auto tech company in Nigeria, reports a 22 percent increase in vehicle inspection requests in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

Also, there is a growing culture of caution among consumers, who now treat car buying as a high-stakes investment rather than a routine transaction.

With a weak naira and sharp fluctuations in import-related costs, buyers are no longer willing to rely solely on visual checks or seller claims, the report says.

Between January and March 2025, the naira depreciated by an additional 3 percent against the dollar.

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Additionally, figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that used vehicle imports into Nigeria fell by 65 percent year-on-year, further driving up prices due to constrained supply.

This has created an environment ripe for exploitation, with a rise in documented cases of sellers offloading flood-damaged or tampered vehicles at inflated prices.

“Every car should be treated like a potential investment,” said Damilola Ojurongbe, head of technical services at Cars45.

“You wouldn’t buy land without a survey. Why buy a car without an inspection?” Ojurongbe added.

Traditionally, many buyers have depended on a mechanic’s glance or a test drive before closing a deal. Today, inspection requests increasingly involve diagnostic scans, flood and accident history reports, body panel reviews, and transmission and engine assessments, even for relatively lower-priced vehicles.

Industry observers attribute this shift to multiple factors, including FX-driven price sensitivity as consumers become more cautious about making costly mistakes due to rising prices of used cars across the board.

They also believed that exposure to digital fraud is driving the growth of used car inspection.

According to them, the growing online auto listings come with scams, which is why verified inspection data from reliable platforms like Cars45 and Jiji offers some level of protection against seller misrepresentation.

Also, auto-focused content from digital platforms and inspection firms is improving consumer awareness around vehicle health indicators.

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A report by Researchgate.net shows that used vehicles make up about 85 percent of all cars imported into Nigeria, a statistic corroborated by local dealerships and independent marketplaces.

Cars45 market analysts predict that verified inspections could become standard in the transaction process, especially as platforms and dealers offering transparency gain a competitive advantage.

“There’s a visible shift from urgency to diligence. People want to know what they’re really paying for. And in today’s market, information is the most valuable asset,” Ojurongbe said.

Cars45 is a leading automotive platform dedicated to streamlining the car buying and selling process in Nigeria.

Since its inception, Cars45 has built a reputation as a reliable and trusted partner in the industry, focusing on addressing key challenges faced by car buyers, sellers, and dealers alike.

It offers a comprehensive range of services, including access to a wide selection of pre-inspected and verified vehicles, detailed inspection reports, and document verification processes to ensure authenticity and peace of mind for its customers.