L-R: Chinagozim Onuoha, marketing manager, Bolt Super Lubricant; Amaka Ogbuagu, head of operations; Chiamaka Chukwuma, sales representative; and Chidubem Ogbuagu, communications associate, during a press conference at the West Africa Automotive Show (WAAS) 2025 in Lagos, on Tuesday.
Bolt Super Lubricant, an indigenous engine oil manufacturer, has set eyes on expanding its products beyond the country’s borders and into African markets.
Executives of the company projected wider national and regional expansion based on what they term as a high-quality, Nigerian-blended product tailored for the local environment.
Speaking at the ongoing West Africa Automotive Show (WAAS) in Lagos, on Tuesday, Amaka Ogbuagu, the company’s head of operations, described Bolt Super Lubricant’s engine oil as a response to quality gaps in the local lubricant market, particularly among foreign and some domestic brands.
“Bolt is a Nigerian oil, an indigenous lubricant made here in Nigeria, and what sets it apart is its high viscosity and detergent properties. That is why cars that use Bolt don’t experience rust or quick blackening of oil,” Ogbuagu said.
According to her, many motorists who use imported products often encounter issues, such as oil burnouts, during medium-range trips.
“You fill your car, go to Benin City from Lagos and back, and it’s still the same. No engine rust, no black oil,” Ogbuagu said.
She added that the company, backed by Sochi Energy, a Nigerian-owned company with a blending facility in Mowe, Ogun State, its local manufacturing base gives it a price advantage
While the company shares a name with the global ride-hailing firm, Bolt, Ogbuagu clarified there was no affiliation, saying, “For now, nothing connects us, but maybe in the future.
“The name came from the idea of speed and strength like a lightning bolt,” she said.
According to Chinagozim Onuoha, marketing manager, 1the product is available in Lagos, Anambra, Enugu and Delta states, as well as in Abuja, and recently in Plateau State.
“We have started creating significant market impact, especially in the last two years. In some regions where we have strong distribution, we have taken as much as 70 percent of the market share. Some others are at 40 per cent, and a few areas even higher,” Onuoha said.
While exact production capacity figures were not disclosed, Onuoha said the company was ramping up presence through partnerships with transport operators, bonded terminals, and haulage firms.
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On product range, the marketing manager listed a variety of Stock Keeping Units like the SAE 40, 20W50, 15W40 cf-4, ci-4, 85W90(manual gear oil), ATF Dexron ii, ATF Dexron iii, 85W140(Axle Oil), Hydraulic 68, that’s suited for petrol and diesel engines as well as for industrial use, as well as lubricants available for two-stroke engines like motorcycles and generators.”
Onuoha said the founder, Jack Ogbuagu, personal experience with poor-quality engine oil during a trip from Lagos to the South East inspired the birth of the business.
“He decided it was time to do something different,” he stated.
Even in a saturated market, the Bolt team sees opportunity. “We believe good products stay. Many names come and go, but Bolt is building long-term traction,” Onuoha said.
“In five years, we see Bolt becoming a dominant name in the lubricant space, not just in Nigeria but across the West African sub-region,” Onuoha added.
