Inside Nigeria’s Deadly Auto Parts Underground

AT Zuba Motor Spare Parts Market in Abuja, the day begins before sunrise. By 8:13 a.m., the alleys are alive with forklift engines, bargaining voices, and the metallic clatter of salvaged components being scrubbed and repainted. It looks like a thriving automotive hub—but beneath the energy lies a network of risks that endanger millions of Nigerian motorists.

Across stalls stacked with tyres, brake pads, steering racks, and sensors, a silent trade flourishes: counterfeit parts, refurbished components disguised as new, and repairs handled by untrained mechanics. Together, they feed an epidemic of mechanical failures that authorities say contributes to nearly a third of fatal road crashes in the country.

A Market That Trades in Danger

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officers describe a recurring pattern when investigating crashes: brake pads that melt under heat, steering joints held together by welds, tyres repainted to hide expiry dates. “People are dying because of ₦5,000 parts,” one officer says. “We see the bodies. We trace the parts. They almost always lead back to the spare parts markets.”

Dealers at Zuba openly admit the problem. Malik, a young trader, compares three similar-looking brake pads: ₦14,000, ₦22,000, and ₦40,000. Only the most expensive is close to genuine, he says—but almost no one can afford it. Inflation has made original parts a luxury, pushing motorists toward cheaper, often dangerous alternatives.

For many Nigerians, the trade-off is stark: safety versus survival.

Mechanics Without Certification

Even when parts are genuine, repairs may not be. A growing number of mechanics operate without certification, diagnostic tools, or knowledge of manufacturer standards. “Most mechanics repair by guesswork,” says an engineer at the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIO). He recalls a fatal crash caused by a welded and repainted suspension part: the mechanic didn’t know it was refurbished; the driver didn’t know; only the market knew.

With no national licensing system and thousands of informal workshops, enforcement is almost impossible.

The Refurbishing Underground

Behind Zuba’s main stalls lies the refurbishing zone, known locally as the “pumping line.” Here, alternators from accident vehicles are washed and painted, shock absorbers sanded and repackaged as “Tokunbo Belgium,” and cracked steering racks welded back to life. Apprentices say customers “no go know” the difference.

The profit margins are irresistible. Importers buy damaged “half-cut” vehicles for ₦300,000, strip them down, refurbish the parts, and make nearly three times the profit.

The cost, however, is borne on the highways.

Tyres: Nigeria’s Most Counterfeited Auto Product

Tyres, more than any other component, dominate the counterfeit market. Sellers admit to importing expired tyres because motorists seek the cheapest option. Genuine tyres cost upwards of ₦120,000, while fake or expired ones go for ₦25,000.

FRSC records show that over 40% of tyre-related crashes involve expired or counterfeit tyres.

The stories are harrowing:
– A driver on Zuba–Suleja road died after a refurbished brake hose burst.
– A family’s rear wheel detached at high speed due to a hidden weld in a hub assembly.
– A woman lost her life after her mechanic installed a repainted expired tyre.

A System in Silos

The chaos persists because agencies responsible for regulation operate separately.

– FRSC handles road safety but not import control.

– SON conducts market checks but is understaffed.

– VIO regulates workshops locally, not nationwide.

– Customs battles smuggling without a unified parts database.

The result is a thriving multibillion-naira black market with little oversight.

Why Drivers Keep Coming Back

Despite the risks, Zuba remains popular. Four reasons explain why:

1. Price: With incomes shrinking, affordability trumps safety.

2. Availability: Dealers stock everything; authorised dealerships often don’t.

3. Speed: Diagnosis, purchase, and repair—all in one place.

4. Trust in mechanics: Mechanics’ recommendations carry more weight than regulatory warnings.

Human Stories Behind the Statistics

The casualty list keeps growing. A widow in Lugbe tearfully recounts how her husband’s brake pads melted on the highway. A civil servant describes the terror of a tyre blowout that nearly killed him and his children. “They painted it to look new,” he says.

Mechanics themselves feel trapped. “If I tell customer genuine parts cost ₦75,000, he go think I dey cheat am,” says Sunday, a 34-year-old mechanic near Zuba. “Even we sef sometimes no fit know which part don weld.”

What Experts Say Must Happen

Stakeholders agree that Nigeria needs bold, coordinated reform:

– A national certification system for mechanics

– Joint SON–Customs–NAFDAC inspections at ports

– A digital registry for traceable auto parts

– Public awareness campaigns on parts safety

– Dedicated enforcement units for major markets

– Affordable diagnostic centres to reduce guesswork

Without these measures, experts warn, Nigerians will continue to die from preventable mechanical failures.

The Road Ahead

As night falls on Zuba Market, shops shutter and apprentices sweep the day’s debris. A customer, having just installed a refurbished control arm, mutters, “Na God dey protect person for this country.”

For now, that is the reality: millions of Nigerians driving on hope rather than engineering, trusting systems that fail them, and praying that the next journey won’t be their last.

In a country already grappling with insecurity, the nation’s roads should not be another battlefield.