Jubilation as Tinubu’s Govt Picks 12 Varsities to Manufacture Electric Vehicles, "When They Finish"

• The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government has taken steps to manufacture electric vehicles in the country
• The director-general of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Oluwemimo Osanipin, said 12 universities – two from each geopolitical zone – have been selected for the initiative
• According to Osanipin, the institutions are designing university shuttle buses that are going to be 100 per cent electric

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

Uyo, Akwa Ibom state - The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government has selected 12 universities – two from each of the country's geopolitical zones – to manufacture electric vehicles.

The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Oluwemimo Osanipin, said the initiative will be financed by the Bank of Industry (BoI) and other key financial institutions.

As reported by The Nation, Osanipin explained that the initiative is a part of the “Nigeria First” policy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration.

He made this known at a stakeholders’ engagement with the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) and the Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association (NAMA) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.

"We are working with major assemblers. In terms of the design you are talking about, we have started an initiative where we gather 12 universities – two from each geopolitical zone. They are designing what we call university shuttle buses that are going to be 100 per cent electric.

“They are going to be designed in Nigeria. Most of the cars will be sourced locally. We are on it. When they finish, we will come together again to work with assemblers and vehicle manufacturers and get support from companies that can finance them, like the Bank of Industry (BoI) and other financial institutions, to be able to produce the vehicles.

“Gradually, we are going to have electric vehicles fully designed and manufactured in Nigeria. In preparation for that, we started building stations in certain universities. In the next few months, we will cover nothing less than 10 universities.

“By the time we have this, we will have built some infrastructure. Gradually, we are building for the future and building the parts.”

FG to deploy 10,000 electric vehicles

Recall that the Nigerian government, through the Federal Executive Council (FEC), approved N151.9 billion for electric vehicles for the northeast.

The 10,000 electric vehicles comprise 10 17-seater buses, and electric tricycles, and will be deployed in the six states in the region.

Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this, saying that the contract for vehicles’ supplies has been approved.

Electric vehicle company commences operations in Nigeria

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that SAGLEV Electromobility Nigeria Limited set an ambitious target of rolling out 10,000 electric vehicles annually from its Lagos plant.

The company’s chairman and chief executive officer, Gbenga Falaye, disclosed this during the facility’s tour.

He said the company also plans to deploy 10,000 charging points in the next five years to drive adoption.

Source: Legit.ng