There are some stories that simply belong to the people who built the road. This is one of them.
On Tuesday, 12 May 2026, at the Anambra State Government House — "The Light House" in Awka — the Igbo-Ukwu community formally presented two brand-new OMAA F5 Pickups to the Anambra State Government for use in security operations across the state. The donation was received by His Excellency, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, Executive Governor of Anambra State.
For OMAA, this is more than a customer story. It is a homecoming. OMAA's founder hails from Igbo-Ukwu, and our very first vehicle assembly line rolled out of Igbo-Ukwu in Aguata LGA before our subsequent expansion. To see the community where OMAA was born now turn around and gift two OMAA pickups back to the state for the protection of "ndi Anambra" is, for us, the fullest expression of what "Made by the People, for the People" was always meant to mean.
The presentation
The Igbo-Ukwu delegation was led by His Royal Highness, Igwe Alexander Ejikemeuwa Ezeobidike Azike Onedibe, Idu III of Igbo-Ukwu, and the President-General of the Igbo-Ukwu Development Union (IDU), Eze-Akajiugo Sir Dr Barr M.C.K. Ubah, accompanied by IDU executives and senior community leaders.
Presenting the keys to the Governor, the PG of IDU admonished the State Governor to utilize the vehicles in any way they deem fit, presented by the good people of Igbo-Ukwu for the benefit of "ndi Anambra." It was a simple, deliberate handover: no conditions, no reservations — just a community placing useful tools in the hands of the government it stands behind.
In his acceptance remarks, His Excellency, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR — Executive Governor of Anambra State expressed his gratitude to the great people of Igbo Ukwu, for the kind gesture of donating the two vehicles for the general running of government — especially in the security of life and property in the state. He reiterated that the donation is a further demonstration of his administration's guiding principle of PPCP — Private Public Community Partnership — noting that "government alone cannot do it; it requires collaborative efforts from government, the private sector, and the communities."
The Governor expressed particular delight that the pickups donated were OMAA vehicles — assembled by a company from the same community making the donation. He went on to thank all the individuals and communities who have been donating and contributing to the development and progress of the state — building roads, schools, and hospitals across Anambra.
Why the OMAA F5 Pickup for security operations?
The OMAA F5 is purpose-built for exactly the kind of work the Anambra State Government plans to put it to. It is a double-cabin, 4-wheel-drive pickup engineered for Nigerian roads — and engineered to be adapted for personnel-carrier duty by security agencies, from the police and the armed forces to Customs, Immigration, and the Federal Road Safety Corps.
A few of the things that make the F5 the right tool for the job:
- Double cabin, 4WD configuration — moves a full patrol team plus equipment, on or off tarmac.
- Engine options — a 2.7-litre with five-speed manual, or a 2.4-litre with six-speed automatic.
- CNG-ready variant available — with 100-litre or 200-litre CNG tanks, giving over 300 km on a single charge for the CNG model, and meaningful fuel-cost savings over petrol on patrol duty.
- Suspension and powertrain tuned for Nigerian road conditions — the F5 was calibrated specifically for our terrain, not adapted from a foreign-market spec sheet.
- Built for adaptability — the F5 platform is already in service as a personnel carrier, a utility vehicle for ministries and agencies, a cargo and cooling van for agriculture, and even as an ambulance base.
In short: durable and reliable pickup vehicles, made locally, with parts and aftersales support inside the country. When a state government deploys these vehicles for surveillance and rapid response, every part of that value chain — assembly, maintenance, spare parts, jobs — stays local.
Learn more about the OMAA F5 Pickup →
The deeper story: an OMAA homecoming
OMAA's journey began at our Igbo-Ukwu plant on Ekwulobia Road, in Aguata LGA, where we rolled out the first locally assembled dual-fuel, natural-gas-powered commercial vehicles in Nigeria. From that base, we expanded nationwide to scale assembly of the OMAA range alongside CNG infrastructure for Nigeria and West Africa.
So when the Igbo-Ukwu community chose to present OMAA vehicles — not any other brand — to their state government for security duty, the choice was a statement. The vehicles being handed over are products of the very community handing them over. The jobs, the assembly skills, the supply chain, the aftersales — all of it loops back into the same economy the donation is intended to protect.
That is exactly the kind of partnerships OMAA was built for. It is also exactly what Africa needs at this time: private sector capacity, community capital and conviction, and government coordination — all pulling in the same direction.
For other state governments and communities watching, it sets a clear and replicable example: pool resources, buy local, and place the tools directly in the hands of government. For OMAA, it is a reminder of the simple promise we made when we first set up — that building vehicles locally, adapted to our conditions, supported locally by both private and public stakeholders, would one day come full circle.
It just did.
Watch and read more
- Video of the presentation on the official OMAA Facebook page: facebook.com/omaamotors — Igbo-Ukwu donation ceremony
- Independent coverage by ITREALMS: Security Boost: Igbo-Ukwu Community Donates Operational Vehicles to Anambra Government
Related reading on the OMAA blog
- OMAA F5 CNG Pickup: built for fleet, security and government deployment
- Made in Africa: OMAA, NAIDP, AfCFTA and the case for local automotive manufacturing
OMAA designs, assembles and services CNG, dual-fuel and electric commercial vehicles for the West African market — including CNG city buses, CNG minibuses, dual-fuel pickups and electric vehicles. Get in touch or partner with us.