Boulos Enterprises is a
Nigerian
Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
distribution, assembly, and trading company for
motorcycles
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising, ...
,
power bikes,
tricycles
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle.
Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes ...
, and
outboard motors
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom. They are the most common motorised method ...
.
It was established by brothers Anthony and Gabriel Boulos.
The company houses several notable brands such as
Aprilia
Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded immediately after World War II in Noale, Italy, by Alberto Beggio. The company started as a manufacturer of bicycles and moved on to manufacture scooters and small-capacity motorcycles. ...
,
Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer and the oldest European manufacturer in continuous motorcycle production.
Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its historic role in Italy's motorcycling ma ...
, and
Haojue. It is the sole importer and distributor of
Suzuki
is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...
in Nigeria.
History
The Boulos' history began in
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
, at a store that sold jewelry and other small articles to the upper-middle class. The jewelry business was managed by their father, George Boulos, a
Lebanese goldsmith who immigrated to
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
in 1936. George developed good relationships with his clients which proved to benefit the business as it matured.
In the mid-1950s, George's sons, Anthony and Gabriel, expanded the family business by importing
Miele
Miele ( ; ) is a German manufacturer of high-end domestic appliances and commercial equipment, headquartered in Gütersloh, Ostwestfalen-Lippe. The company was founded in 1899 by Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann, and has always been a family-own ...
,
Durkopp, and Göricke motorcycles. The company's profile expanded from there, leading to the incorporation of the company in 1964. By the end of the 1960s the firm had established a factory in Oregun, Lagos, which assembled
Suzuki
is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...
motorcycles from
knock-down kit
A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...
s, thus becoming the first company in Nigeria to assemble motorcycles. Furthermore, the plant had the capacity to assemble 7,200 motorcycles per shift.
In 1979, when the government of Nigeria placed a ban on the importation of completely built motorcycles, the Boulos' profile enhanced, causing the firm to become the leading motorcycle seller in the country.
In 1975, the firm acquired land at the Ogba Industrial estate, beginning the process of manufacturing complete Suzuki motorcycles. The company also developed a distribution strategy which led to the creation of service centers across the country. These centers were capable of stocking spare parts as well as including a trained Suzuki mechanic at each location.
In 1987, the company established Bel Impex Limited, a tissue paper manufacture which is no longer part of Boulos Enterprises.
Between 2010 and 2016, Boulos Enterprises represented
Piaggio
Piaggio & C. SpA (Piaggio ) is an Italian motor vehicle manufacturer, which produces a range of two-wheeled motor vehicles and compact commercial vehicles under seven brands: Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Derbi, and Scarabeo. Its ...
India while partially assembling tricycles in the country.
The company's CEO is Massad Boulos, who is also CEO of the SCOA Nigeria conglomerate. His son,
Michael Boulos
Tiffany Ariana Trump (born October 13, 1993) is the fourth child of former U.S. President Donald Trump and his only child with his second wife, Marla Maples. She is a legal research assistant at Georgetown University Law Center.
Early life an ...
, is married to
Tiffany Trump
Tiffany Ariana Trump (born October 13, 1993) is the fourth child of former U.S. President Donald Trump and his only child with his second wife, Marla Maples. She is a legal research assistant at Georgetown University Law Center.
Early life an ...
and is described as the billionaire heir to Boulos Enterprises.
References
External links
* {{official, boulos.ng
Motorcycle manufacturers of Nigeria
Manufacturing companies based in Lagos