Rush for Nigerian-Used Cars Spurs 22% Spike in Vehicle Inspection Requests

In a report made available to Business Post on Wednesday, the firm observed that it notice this spike in the first quarter of 2025, suggesting a shift in Nigeria’s used car buyer behaviour, also indicating that a silent transformation is taking root in how Nigerians approach used vehicle or tokunbo purchases.

The trend points to a growing culture of caution among consumers, who now treat car buying as a high-stakes investment rather than a routine transaction.

The high cost of guesswork

With a weakened Naira and sharp fluctuations in import-related costs, buyers are no longer willing to rely solely on visual checks or seller claims.

Between January and March 2025, the Naira depreciated by an additional 3 per cent against the dollar.

Additionally, figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that used vehicle imports into Nigeria fell by 65 per cent 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. You wouldn’t buy land without a survey. Why buy a car without an inspection?” the Head of Technical Services at Cars45, Mr Damilola Ojurongbe, stated.

A more informed buyer is emerging

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:

FX-driven price sensitivity

With used car prices rising across the board, consumers are more cautious about making costly mistakes.

Digital fraud exposure

As online auto listings grow, so do scams. Verified inspection data from reliable platforms like Cars45 and Jiji offers some level of protection against seller misrepresentation.

Education and transparency

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

Changing market expectations

A report by Researchgate.net shows that used vehicles make up about 85% 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,” Mr Damilola added.