Kunle Ade‑Ojo, Managing Director of Toyota Nigeria Limited, discusses his career, achievements and personal influences. As MD, he is responsible for the overall management of the company, which focuses on the automotive business. He emphasizes that employee performance is crucial, as the company’s success depends on its staff. He works closely with dealers nationwide, who in turn interact with customers, because Toyota Nigeria does not sell directly to end users. His role includes ensuring the right products are introduced, supporting dealers, and overseeing company affairs. He manages department heads, fostering teamwork to achieve set goals.
Ade‑Ojo’s father, Chief Michael Ade‑Ojo, played a pivotal role in shaping his career. From the age of 15, he was involved in the family business, Elizade Nigeria Limited, spending summer holidays in the workshop learning to service carburetor engines, replace tyres, change brake pads and perform other tasks. This early exposure laid a solid foundation for his later studies in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Reading and a Master’s in Automotive Product Engineering at Cranfield University. After completing his Master’s, his father sent him to the United States, where he worked as a Global Management Associate at Toyota’s headquarters in California for two years, rotating through key departments that prepared him for leadership. He credits his father’s deliberate planning for his readiness to take on the family business.
Speaking of his mother, Ade‑Ojo remembers her as a loving, caring and soft‑hearted woman who died when he was young. Her affection for her children left a lasting impression on him.
Since assuming the mantle of leadership in 2014, Ade‑Ojo has introduced several innovations. He shifted the company from a non‑IT‑focused organization to one driven by digital processes, reducing the time previously spent on sales and marketing and increasing focus on the IT department. Digitalisation has helped resolve many challenges quickly. He has strengthened after‑sales services, upgraded machinery, and established the only structured training facility in the country for staff and dealers, including a dedicated body‑and‑paint training centre. In March 2022, the Dojo Centre—a service and experiential‑learning hub—was opened by Vice‑President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. The centre provides tailored services to customers, data collection for market‑trend analysis, and on‑the‑job training for dealers, ensuring they are well‑educated and capable of serving customers effectively. These continuous‑improvement (kaizen) initiatives have made operations more efficient and innovative.
Ade‑Ojo acknowledges the challenges he faced as MD. Early on, the company struggled with bank exposure, economic downturns, and declining sales of imported vehicles. He inherited a culture where the MD was detached from financial matters, compounded by debt, a weak naira and the global financial crisis. The team worked hard to clear the debts, earning him respect from the board and staff. More recent challenges include foreign‑exchange scarcity and bureaucratic delays at ports, which once prevented the sale of vehicles for over a year. He notes that resolving one major issue often leads to another, but such obstacles keep the job interesting and rewarding.
Regarding port congestion, Ade‑Ojo believes it is a governmental issue. He argues that private management could improve efficiency and profitability, noting that when vehicles were stuck for a year, both the company and the government lost revenue from taxes and sales.
His career trajectory at Toyota Nigeria began in 2006 as Business and Strategic Development Manager, followed by Assistant General Manager (Operations), then General Manager, Executive Director, and finally Managing Director in 2014 at age 34. He attributes his rise to hard work and merit rather than luck or privilege. Although his father did not grant him special treatment, he expected the same work ethic he demonstrated as a teenager in the workshop, where he earned only lunch money for unpaid labor. This upbringing instilled a strong work ethic that continues to drive him.
Ade‑Ojo reflects on the perception that children of wealthy families often lack discipline. He cites a passage from Russell Conwell’s *Acres of Diamond* to illustrate how hard work, even for the affluent, builds valuable character. His father taught him that relying on inheritance leads to failure; instead, one must earn one’s place. He strives to create his own legacy while honoring his father’s name, Adeniyan, meaning “the crown is not in dispute.”
Maintaining Toyota’s brand strength, Ade‑Ojo credits customers, dedicated dealers, winning products, and the country’s largest after‑sales service network. Consistent routine service, spare‑parts availability, value‑added promotions, and high‑quality training at the Dojo Centre differentiate Toyota from competitors.
On Nigeria’s economic direction, he observes that the country is not yet a fully consumption‑to‑production economy but is making progress, especially in fast‑moving consumer goods where local production adds value. He believes Nigerians are intelligent and capable of achieving any goal given a competitive advantage, and that the nation is on the right path.
Regarding preferences for foreign versus local products, Ade‑Ojo notes that some locally made items can compete favorably with imports. He personally prefers certain Nigerian‑made products but acknowledges that quality assurance and cost competitiveness are essential for broader acceptance, even internationally.
Customer recognition is expressed through the annual Toyota Awards, paused during the COVID‑19 pandemic but expected to resume. The awards honor customers for vehicle purchases, including a special “Evergreen” category for long‑term loyalty, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation. Similar recognition is extended to dealers.
Philanthropically, Toyota Nigeria supports orphanages and participates in Toyota Motor Corporation’s Dream Car Art Contest for children aged 7‑15, encouraging creative expression. The company also launched the Unusual Fest, a technical event where children build model vehicles, complementing the artistic contest.
The company has earned numerous accolades, including the CEO of the Year award for Ade‑Ojo in 2016, and recent honors such as Mini Bus of the Year, Pick‑up of the Year, Large SUV of the Year, and multiple Car of the Year awards from the Nigerian Auto Journalists Association, as well as recognitions from the Lagos State Government and other bodies.
When asked about influencing his children’s career choices, Ade‑Ojo says he will encourage but not force them, emphasizing that a legacy must be sustainable beyond one’s lifetime. He intends to expose them to the family business early, making clear that the business must be earned, not given. He cites the Toyoda family in Japan as an example of a sustainable structure where family members rotate leadership with others.
On the purpose of cars, Ade‑Ojo prefers them as practical means of transportation rather than status symbols, valuing comfort and convenience over showmanship.
Addressing declining confidence in leaders, he stresses the importance of intentional parenting and mentorship. Parents should guide children, correct mistakes, and allow them to develop strong foundations. Children must also be willing to learn and avoid the temptation of quick wealth.
Key lessons from his tenure include recognizing that a company’s success hinges on its people and the character of its leader. He invests heavily in staff welfare and development, resulting in low turnover and a disciplined, rewarded workforce.
Outside work, Ade‑Ojo enjoys reading and has taken up golf, though his schedule limits regular play. He met his wife at a dinner; her caring, understanding nature and love for family endeared her to him. He balances work and family by dedicating weekdays to business and weekends to family, planning carefully to manage multiple responsibilities while appreciating the support of his loved ones.
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