Weststar chief Uwatse joins elite ranks of Nigerian automotive legends
By Google News Motors ·
The Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) has nominated Benson Uwatse, chairman of Weststar Associates Limited, for its Nigeria Auto Legend Award, making him the third industry leader to receive the recognition.
Uwatse joins Michael Ade Ojo, chairman of Toyota Nigeria Limited, and Cosmas Maduka, president and chief executive officer of Coscharis Group, in the category, which recognises individuals whose contributions have influenced the development of Nigeria’s automotive industry.
His nomination reflects more than three decades of involvement in the country’s automobile business, particularly in the distribution and representation of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
As chairman of Weststar Associates, the authorised general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria, Uwatse oversees a business responsible for the brand’s operations across passenger cars, commercial vehicles, trucks and buses.
Read also: NAJA awards open as auto brands compete for top honours
Weststar commenced operations in Nigeria in February 2008, taking responsibility for Mercedes-Benz sales and after-sales services in the country. Its operations cover vehicle distribution, dealer support, technical training, genuine spare parts, warranties and customer service.
Uwatse’s experience in the industry also includes his involvement in the Mercedes-Benz dealership network, particularly his leadership role as managing director of MB Automobile Services Limited, an authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Auto Legend Award seeks to recognise industry figures whose influence extends beyond vehicle distribution and commercial activities to the wider development of the automotive sector.
Ade Ojo, founder of Elizade Nigeria Limited and chairman of Toyota Nigeria Limited, became the first recipient of the recognition in 2017. His decades of investment in automobile distribution and business development established him as one of the prominent figures in Nigeria’s automotive industry.
Maduka was subsequently recognised for building Coscharis Group from a modest automobile trading business into a diversified indigenous conglomerate with interests in vehicle distribution and other sectors.
Under his leadership, Coscharis Motors secured distribution franchises for international automotive brands, including BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and Ford.
Uwatse’s nomination adds another industry executive to the list of business leaders recognised by NAJA for their roles in shaping the country’s automobile market.
The 19th Nigeria Auto Industry Awards, organised by NAJA, is scheduled to hold on Thursday, December 3, 2026, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The annual event brings together vehicle manufacturers, distributors, dealers, policymakers, regulators and other industry stakeholders to recognise achievements across Nigeria’s automotive and transportation sectors.
Juliet Onyema is a transport journalist who reports on Nigeria’s transport and automobile industry. She covers emerging Electric Vehicles (EVs), ranging from adoption to usage, automobile firms and transport policies which affect them, and also recurring trends affecting commuters’ mobility interstate and intrastate.
Originally published by Google News Motors
