Tata Motors, India’s leading auto maker, will launch its small car Nano in Nigeria in 2010, before the planned launch in Europe.

"Tata Motors will make Nano available in Nigeria in the next 12-18 months," a senior official of Tata Africa Nigeria, Sudeep Ray, said.

"The launching of the Nano was branded everyman behind the wheel and will benefit Nigerians much as public transport systems like metro are not available here.”

"The car will cost NGN 357,480 (about Rs 1.16 lakh) in Nigeria, which is much less than the price of most second hand saloon cars sold here," Ray said. The cost of a used car usually starts at NGN 500,000 in the country.

Ray did not divulge if the car would be assembled in Nigeria or sold as a complete unit.

A Tata Motors spokesperson from India said, "The company has said that Tata Nano can be marketed in other countries, but timelines, modes and countries are yet to be finalised."

Tata Motors had displayed the European version of the Nano in March, which the company plans to launch by 2011. Envisaged in 2003, Tata Motors had launched the much- awaited car in India in March this year. The car has cost over Rs 2,000 crore to the company.

Cars, buses, and trucks manufactured by Tata are being sold in many countries across Europe, Africa, Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, and Latin America.