Nord Automobiles: Are Nigeria’s ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ Cars Actually Chinese Clones?

The rise of Nord Automobiles has been hailed as a turning point for the Nigerian automotive industry. The Lagos-based company proudly markets itself as a beacon of Nigerian ingenuity, claiming to produce “remarkable made-in-Nigeria automobiles.” But behind the patriotic branding and polished marketing lies a curious trend: many of Nord’s vehicles are nearly identical to Chinese-manufactured cars already in circulation globally.

This investigation explores whether Nord is truly manufacturing vehicles in Nigeria—or simply rebranding imported Chinese models with a local badge.

What Nord Claims to Be

On paper, Nord Automobiles represents a significant shift in Nigeria’s quest for industrial self-sufficiency. According to its official narrative, Nord is not just an assembler, but an end-to-end auto company engaged in design, sourcing, assembly, marketing, and after-sales support—all from its headquarters in Lagos.

“Our establishment was born out of the need for a remarkable made-in-Nigeria automobile brand,” the company states.

But are these cars genuinely Nigerian creations—or rebadged imports?

Nord A9 = Kaiyi Kunlun

The Nord A9 is one of Nord’s flagship SUVs. At first glance, it’s stylish and contemporary. But compare it side-by-side with the Kaiyi Kunlun, a mid-size crossover made by Chery’s sub-brand, and the resemblance is impossible to ignore. From the front grille design to the body lines and dashboard layout, it’s evident that the A9 is not a unique creation.

The Kaiyi Kunlun is already well-known in markets like China and South America, and Nord’s version appears to be a direct rebadge.

Nord A5 Luxury = Kaiyi X3

Similarly, the Nord A5 Luxury mirrors the Kaiyi X3, another Chery spinoff. Known for being a compact, budget-friendly SUV, the X3’s blueprint—including its cabin, infotainment design, and wheelbase—matches the A5 Luxury almost identically.

Chery’s influence is not surprising. The Kaiyi brand benefits from the massive R&D backing of Chery Group, which Nord may be tapping into via licensing or private agreements.

Nord Demir = Hengtian L4600 (Land Cruiser Lookalike)

Things get even more revealing with the Nord Demir, marketed as Nord’s tough, full-size SUV. It bears an uncanny resemblance to the Hengtian L4600, a Chinese SUV that has often been described as a “copycat” version of the Toyota Land Cruiser LC200.

Both vehicles share body dimensions, front-end styling, and engine layouts. The L4600’s 4.6L V8 engine (from Futai Power) is the same unit used in the Demir, although slightly detuned for Nigeria.

Nord Tank = Huanghai N3

Lastly, the Nord Tank pickup truck appears to be a local rebadge of the Huanghai N3, a rugged Chinese pickup built with a massive grille, 4WD, and Huanghai’s in-house diesel and petrol engines.

Specs like a 2.5L turbo diesel (143hp) and a 2.4L turbo petrol (218hp) line up with what Nord advertises for the Tank.

Why This Matters

Rebadging foreign cars isn’t illegal. In fact, many global automakers do it. But for a brand like Nord, which leans heavily into “Made in Nigeria” branding, transparency becomes critical. If Nord is licensing these models or assembling them under SKD/CKD agreements, it should be openly acknowledged.

This is important because Nigerians are not just buying a car, they’re buying into the story of local innovation, job creation, and national pride. If the product is mostly imported with local stickers, that story changes significantly.

Is Nord Truly Nigerian?

Nord Automobiles has made impressive strides in marketing and positioning. They’ve introduced attractive, modern vehicles and built a growing presence on Nigerian roads. But the strong links between their models and existing Chinese vehicles suggest that they are, at this stage, more of an assembler and distributor than a manufacturer.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing—many auto companies start this way. But for Nord to truly earn the “Made in Nigeria” badge, it will need to move beyond rebadging and into genuine design, tooling, and production from within Nigerian borders.

Until then, what you’re likely buying from Nord is a well-branded, Chinese-made vehicle with Nigerian dealership support—which may still be good value, just not quite what it claims to be.