Fuel price: Nigeria set for mass production of electric vehicles
Nigeria is on the verge of mass-producing electric vehicles as part of measures to shift attention away from rising cost of fuel.
Already, the Federal Government will in the coming weeks ratify the Electric Vehicle (EV) Development Plan.
Director-general of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Jelani Aliyu, disclosed this while speaking at a workshop in Abuja.
He said that the development plan had entered its final stage for ratification and implementation.
This is coming barely a month after the National Economic Council led by Vice-President Kashim Shettima backed the move by the NADDCD to begin mass production of electric and Compressed Natural Gas-powered vehicles in the country.
The EV plan aims to position Nigeria as a leading country in vehicle electrification as it arrives towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
According to Jelani, one of the main focuses of the plan is promoting local production of electric vehicles, with a target of at least 30 per cent local production.
To support the adoption of EVs, federal, state, and local governments, as well as companies with government contracts would be mandated to purchase and patronise EVs.
This, he stressed, would be driven by the need for cost-effective and sustainable transportation solutions due to the higher costs of petrol and diesel.
Aliyu emphasised the importance of developing indigenous vehicles with local content suitable for Nigeria’s environment.
“The aim is to provide a more cost-effective transportation system for Nigerians,” he said.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s renewable energy and natural resources, such as lithium and petrochemicals that could power the EVs.
He said the NADDC, in collaboration with the private sector, was already working towards deploying charging points along highways and road networks to establish an effective EV ecosystem.
On the timeframe for this, he said this would be achieved by year end.
To ensure effective implementation of the plan, Jelani recommended that the Federal Government pass the 2023 National Automotive Industry Development Plan Bill to provide legislative support and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in the automotive sector.
In addition to the legislative support, he proposed the approval of the plan and policy, dedicated funding for a vehicle finance scheme focused on EVs.
This would make the EVs affordable nationwide, ensure stricter vehicle emission regulations and the development of necessary EV charging infrastructure.
He said that the government should enforce compliance with the Executive Order 003, which mandates the procurement of locally produced vehicles by government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) as well as private companies working on government contracts.
He also recommended revamping the public transportation system through a Commercial Vehicle Replacement Programme that includes a 30 per cent ratio of electric vehicles by 2024, streamlining ports operations, and providing dedicated corridors for automotive imports and exports.