The Director-General, National Automotive Design and Development Council, Jelani Aliyu, has asserted that Nigeria’s automotive industry is advancing towards actualizing the manufacturing of electric and gas-powered vehicles, in keeping with the net-zero target by 2060.
Mr Aliyu made the disclosure while addressing delegates at the ongoing COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland where close to 200 countries gathered to discuss and commit to a net zero world.
According to the NADDC director-general, the recent assembly of Electric Vehicles by the Hyundai Kona EV and the assembly of AutoGas powered OMAA CNG Minibus by a division of KOJO Motors are all testimonies to the effort the country is making in that direction.
Mr Aliyu stressed that Nigeria could not afford to be left behind as nations around the world advance technologically.
He said: “Nigeria has committed to get to net zero by 2060, I believe that is sufficient time for us to really develop the necessary alternative solutions for transportation.”While noting that there are some challenges in the sector, Mr Aliyu stressed that the target is very achievable.
“Yes, we have challenges, but we will not allow ourselves to be defined by those challenges, we will only be defined by our dreams and aspirations, we must be defined by what we can achieve.
“I think the target is very achievable, God willing, because that gives us sufficient time to really achieve it, and like I said we have already started. It is not like Nigeria is waiting until 2050 or 2055 to start, we have already started,” Mr Aliyu disclosed.
The director-general also disclosed that his agency had developed and built 100% Solar Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Sokoto and Lagos, adding that the one in Nsukka is coming up.
He said: “These are pilot programmes with the objective of proving that the concept works so they could be replicated by the private sector across the nation.
“Just imagine: there must have been a time when the very first vehicle got off the ship in Lagos unto Nigeria shores, the very first car in Nigeria, at that time I am sure there were no fuel stations, still someone got to fuel that vehicle.
“This is the exciting beginning we are at with Electric Vehicles, and as we move on the private sector must be encouraged to build more of these Charging Stations, because we see it as a very viable economic venture.”
