27-Year Old Creates First Luxury Sports Car Made in Nigeria

In a historic stride for Nigeria’s automotive industry, Jerry Issac Mallo, a 27-year-old entrepreneur, engineer, and CEO of Bennie Technologies Ltd., has achieved what many deemed impossible: the creation of the first luxury sports car made in Nigeria. Mallo‘s journey from crafting toy cars out of garbage as a child to manufacturing groundbreaking vehicles has captivated the world’s attention and inspired a new wave of innovation in Africa’s automotive sector.

Born with a passion for automobiles, Mallo’s fascination with cars began at the tender age of 5. Even in his youth, he displayed a remarkable knack for engineering, fashioning toy cars out of discarded materials with meticulous attention to detail. His childhood pastime foreshadowed a future marked by groundbreaking innovation and unwavering determination.

At the age of 18, Mallo built his first life-size car using recyclable materials—a testament to his ingenuity and resourcefulness. His journey took him to the United Kingdom, where he initially pursued studies in art at the University of Hertfordshire on a scholarship. However, his passion for engineering and automotive design eventually led him to pivot his focus, recognizing the untapped potential for automotive innovation in Africa.

Driven by a desire to leverage Africa’s rich resources and raw materials, Mallo returned to Nigeria with a bold vision: to establish a car manufacturing company that would rival global giants. In 2019, he unveiled his first creation, the Bennie Purrie, a luxury sports car crafted from recyclable materials—a groundbreaking achievement that garnered international acclaim.

The Bennie Purrie stands as a testament to Mallo’s commitment to innovation and sustainability. Unlike traditional cars constructed from aluminum or galvanized sheets, the Bennie Purrie features a chassis made from recycled fiberglass, offering unparalleled safety and durability. With its unique design and cutting-edge features, including four radiators for interior cooling and a tubular chassis for enhanced strength, the Bennie Purrie represents a paradigm shift in automotive engineering.

Yesterday, we unveiled Bennie Purrie. This is just the beginning.#madeInNigeria#NigerianYouth#BennieAutomobile#madeInJos pic.twitter.com/YN154UPu3f

— Jerry Mallo (@jerry_mallo) November 29, 2019

Beyond its technical innovations, the Bennie Purrie embodies Mallo’s vision of empowering African talent and revitalizing the continent’s automotive industry. By harnessing the skills of hand-skilled individuals in Nigeria and championing a culture of practical innovation, Mallo seeks to position Africa as a global hub for automotive excellence.

Despite facing numerous challenges along the way, including the scarcity of resources and limited access to funding, Mallo remains undeterred in his mission. Supported by the Plateau State government and driven by a relentless passion for innovation, he continues to push the boundaries of possibility, with plans to expand his product line and revolutionize the automotive market.

Plateau ingenuity and innovation on the rise as Governor Lalong's support for young entrepreneurs yield more results. Gov. Lalong unveiled the BENNIE PURRIE, a sports car manufactured by Jerry Mallo of Bennie Agro & Automobile Technology Ltd. pic.twitter.com/bLv7VB3IiV

— Government of Plateau State (@PLSGov) November 28, 2019

As Africa’s automotive pioneer, Mallo’s journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators across the continent. His story reminds us that with determination, creativity, and a steadfast belief in one’s abilities, anything is possible. As he looks towards the future, Jerry Issac Mallo stands poised to redefine the automotive landscape, one groundbreaking innovation at a time.

In a remarkable display of academic prowess and determination, 17-year-old Nigerian student Oluwafemi Ositade has achieved an extraordinary feat, securing full scholarships from prestigious Ivy League universities in the United States, including Harvard, as well as other esteemed institutions in Canada and Qatar. Ositade’s exceptional achievement, valued at over $3.5 million, underscores his unwavering commitment to excellence and his remarkable potential as a scholar and leader.

A member of the Class of 2023 at The Ambassadors College in Ota, Ogun State, Ositade’s journey to academic success has been marked by remarkable achievements and accolades. His outstanding performance in the SAT, where he achieved a perfect score in Mathematics (800/800) and a near-perfect score of 760 out of 800 in reading and writing, served as a testament to his exceptional intellectual ability and dedication to academic excellence. Combined with his impressive CGPA of 4.04/4.0 from college, Ositade’s academic achievements distinguished him as one of Nigeria’s brightest young talents.

Armed with his remarkable academic record and a track record of excellence, Ositade received scholarship offers from 14 renowned institutions, nine of which are full-ride scholarships covering tuition, accommodation, allowances, and all other student expenses. These prestigious universities include Harvard University, Brown University, Duke University, University of Toronto Lester B Pearson Scholarship, Wesleyan University, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, University of Miami, Howard University, Stetson University, Fisk University, University of Toronto Mississauga Campus, University of Toronto St. George Campus, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, and Drexel University. Read more about Femi Ositade here.

The post 27-Year Old Creates First Luxury Sports Car Made in Nigeria appeared first on Rising Africa.