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Global Passenger Car Sales to Plunge by $440B in 2020, Entire Market to Drop by 10% in 2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic hit the automotive industry hard, causing supply chain disruptions, factory closures, and huge sales and revenue drops.

According to data presented by StockApps, global passenger car sales is expected to plunge by $440bn in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak. The downsizing trend is set to continue next year, with revenues falling by 10% YoY in 2021.

Revenues to Continue Falling in the Next Two Years

Even before the pandemic, the car industry was already coping with a downshift in global demand. In 2016, global car sales revenue, including passenger cars, sports cars, SUVs, and MPVs, hit $2.26trn, revealed Statista data. In the next twelve months, this figure slightly increased to $2.27trn.

Statistics show that in 2019, global passenger car sales revenues amounted to $2.29trn. Small SUVs sales, as the largest revenue stream, generated almost 30% of that value or $647bn. Large SUVs and large cars segments followed with $362bn and $275bn in revenue, respectively.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a huge hit, with total car sales revenues falling by almost 20% year-over-year to $1.85trn in 2020. Statista data revealed that revenues in the large cars segment are expected to drop by 25% YoY to $233bn. Large SUV sales are set to witness a 24% cut this year, with revenues falling to $275bn in 2020. Small SUVs follow with a 20% drop and $525bn in revenue.

Analyzed by carmakers, Toyota represented the market leader with a 10.6% market share in 2020. Volkswagen ranked second with a 7.4% market share. Nissan, Ford, and Hyundai follow, with a 6.6%, 6.2%, and 5.6% share, respectively.

Statistics show the downsizing trend is set to continue in 2021, with global passenger car sales revenues falling to $1.65trn. In 2022, this figure is expected to decrease by another 6% to $1.55trn.

Three Largest Markets Lost $231.5B in Revenue Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Statista data also revealed that all of the leading car markets are expected to witness a two-digit revenue drop this year. As the largest market globally, the car sales revenue in the United States is forecast to fall by almost 18% YoY to $507bn in 2020. This figure is expected to plunge to $385bn in the next two years, nearly 40% less than in 2019.

China ranked as the second-largest market globally with $452bn in revenue in 2020, an 18% fall year-over-year. By 2022, total car sales revenues in China are set to drop to $405bn.

As the third-largest market, Japan witnessed an almost 19% YoY drop, with passenger car sales revenues falling to $92bn in 2020. Germany follows with $86.5bn in revenue, 17% less than in 2019.

The Statista data show the three leading markets lost $231.5bn in car sales revenues in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

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Allen Onyema, Employee Indicted in U.S. For Allegedly Obstructing Justice in Bank Fraud, Money Laundering Cases Slammed Against Them

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Allen Onyema Air Peace

Allen Onyema, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has been charged in a superseding indictment with obstruction of justice for submitting false documents to the United States Government in an effort to end an investigation of him in earlier charges of bank fraud and money laundering.

The United States government also charged alongside Onyema, his employee, Ejiroghene Eghagha, the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, for participating in the obstruction scheme, as well as in the earlier bank fraud counts.

In a statement issued by the U.S Government, the country’s Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said the founder of the airline, accused of using his airline company as a cover to commit fraud on the United States’ banking system, has, along with Eghagha, who is a co-defendant in the fraud cases, allegedly committed additional crimes of fraud in a failed attempt to derail the government’s investigation of his conduct.

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Atlanta Division also revealed that through the diligence of US federal investigative partners, the alleged obstruction scheme of Onyema and Eghagha was revealed, making it possible for the defendants to be held accountable for their aggravated conduct of attempting to impede a federal investigation.

For Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office, “These cases represent the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration to identify and hold accountable those who engaged in fraud and money laundering.”

“Allegedly, Onyema and his accomplices fraudulently used the U.S. banking system in an effort to hide the source of their ill-gotten money.

“Today’s superseding indictment is indicative of the dedication IRS-CI special agents and our law enforcement partners have, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, to neutralize threats to the United States from criminal organizations.”

“The charges announced today demonstrate the criticality of diligence and truth in criminal justice proceedings,” said Steven N. Schrank, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta that covers Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and our partners are committed to pursuing those who seek to exploit our nation’s financial system and any efforts to cover up illegal activity,” she added.

The statement obtained by Investors King explained how Onyema allegedly committed the bank fraud and laundered money running into millions of dollars. The statement reads “Onyema, a Nigerian citizen and businessman, is the CEO and Chairman of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline founded in 2013. Between 2010 and 2018, Onyema travelled frequently to Atlanta, where he opened several personal and business bank accounts. More than $44.9 million was allegedly transferred into his Atlanta-based accounts from foreign sources.

Beginning in approximately May 2016, Onyema, together with Eghagha, allegedly used a series of export letters of credit to cause banks to transfer more than $20 million into Atlanta-based bank accounts controlled by Onyema.

The letters of credit were purportedly to fund the purchase of five separate Boeing 737 passenger planes by Air Peace and were supported by documents such as purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals.

The documents purported to show that Air Peace was purchasing the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a business registered in Georgia.

However, the supporting documents were allegedly fake – Springfield Aviation Company LLC was owned by Onyema and managed on his behalf by a person with no connection to the aviation business, and Springfield Aviation never owned the aircraft.

The company that allegedly drafted the appraisals did not exist. Eghagha allegedly participated in this scheme as well, directing the Springfield Aviation manager to sign and send false documents to banks and even using the manager’s identity to further the fraud.

After Onyema received the money in the United States, he allegedly laundered over $16 million of the proceeds of the fraud by transferring it to other accounts.

In May 2019, upon discovering that he was under investigation in the Northern District of Georgia for bank fraud, Onyema and Eghagha allegedly directed the Springfield Aviation manager to sign a key business contract, but also specifically told her to not date the document.

In October 2019, Onyema allegedly caused his attorneys to present that same contract, now falsely dated as being signed on May 5, 2016 (prior to the bank fraud that began in 2016), to the government in an effort to stop the investigation and unfreeze his bank accounts.

Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 61, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 42, of Lagos, Nigeria, were indicted on November 19, 2019, on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit credit application fraud, and three counts of credit application fraud.

Additionally, Onyema was charged with 27 counts of money laundering, and Eghagha was charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. On October 8, 2024, they were both charged in a superseding indictment alleging an additional count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. The case is criminal action number 1:19-CR-464.”

However, the statement noted that an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Commerce, and Department of Treasury are investigating the case.

It informed members of the public that the indictments of Onyema and his co-accused person only contain charges, adding that the duo Nigerians are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The statement further disclosed that Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Christopher J. Huber are prosecuting the case.

“This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF,” it concluded.

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New Website Unveiled by FG for Pay-Later CNG Conversion to Cut Transport Costs

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The federal government has unveiled a website that offers a pay-later option for commercial and private car owners looking to convert their petrol-powered vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

This was in response to the incessant increase in transportation fares following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

According to the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) the initiative will help ease transportation costs and encourage more transporters to embrace CNG.

In a post on X, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) revealed that this initiative ensures a hassle-free experience for CNG users through an easy online application and a quick approval process.

“Switching to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is now more accessible than ever. With flexible payment plans tailored to fit your budget, transitioning from petrol to CNG has never been smoother or more affordable. These payment options allow you to convert your vehicle now and pay later with affordable monthly installments at competitive rates.” NOA stated.

The installment payment option aims to achieve the federal government’s projection of a 30-40% fare reduction as more motorists adopt this initiative.

In addition to the distribution of 2,000 CNG-powered tricycles among youths in the transportation sector across Nigeria, the pay-later option is intended to encourage more people to adopt CNG, thereby providing affordable mobility options.

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Nigerians Fear Increase in Fake Products as NAFDAC Officials Commence Indefinite Nationwide Strike

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There are indications that fake producers of consumables and other items across the country may have a field day following an industrial action embarked upon by workers of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Investors King gathered that the nationwide strike which started on Monday is indefinite and nationwide.

The decision of the staff of the agency to down tools followed the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to their management.

The decision to shun work was confirmed after a congress of NAFDAC staff convened on Friday, October 4, 2024 over unresolved issues.

The striking workers, under the directive of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) have been instructed to withdraw all services and vacate offices.

They were also ordered to remove personal belongings as the strike began.

The demands of the staff include a review and re-evaluation of the 2024 promotion examination results, which currently reflect a pass rate of just 35%.

The union is pushing for a minimum benchmark of 80% for this year and future exams. Another key demand is the settlement of salary arrears for employees hired in 2022 among others

In a statement signed by Secretary of the Association, Ejor Michael, the union accused NAFDAC management of ignoring their grievances, calling the inaction insufferable.

The staff have vowed to continue the strike until all demands outlined in their communiqué are met.

NAFDAC, which plays a critical role in regulating Nigeria’s food, drug, and pharmaceutical industries, is expected to face significant operational disruptions as a result of the industrial action.

Before now, there had been public outcry over the increase in fake products as Nigerians called out the agency and tasked it to be more proactive.

They expressed fear that there is a tendency that manufacturers of fake products would have ample opportunities to saturate the markets with dangerous products as those who would tackle them are now on strike.

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