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FG Moves To Develop First Made In Nigeria Electric Vehicle

Ebuka Daniel

The Federal Government through its agency- the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology in Zaria has inaugurated a 22- member team to develop the country’s electric cars.

This is part of the Federal Government’s plan to join the movement to cut carbon emission.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in 2019 directed for the committee to be set.

Nigeria has under the Paris Climate Agreement pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2030.

For Nigeria to achieve this, the country aims to generate 30 per cent of its energy from renewable energy.

Mr Olorogun-John Inojeharho, Chairman, NITT Governing Council,  said the project would reduce carbon emissions.

The National Automotive Design and Development Council, unveiled Nigeria’s first locally assembled electric car, Hyundai Kona, on February 5, 2021.

But to take the vision to a higher level, Inojeharho said the committee is expected to design a blueprint that would guide the development of the NITT model of an electric vehicle, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Some of the team members include: Dr Bayero Salih-Farah, Director- General of the institute, who is the Chairman; Elkanah Ngbale the Institute’s Director of Transport Technology Centre; Dr Felicia Nwanosike, Director of Transport School and Dr Ibrahim Mundi, Director of ICT, Library and Information Services,

The team is saddled with the responsibility to “evolve the technology/design framework of the NITT model of an electric vehicle, develop a prototype of the NITT electric vehicle, and promote the NITT model of electric vehicle in the Nigerian automobile industry.”

The team would also determine the budgetary allocation for the project.

Apart from NITT’s effort, the National Automotive Design and Development Council launched the country’s first 100 per cent Solar Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station on Thursday in Sokoto.

Based on a monitored tweet, Jelani Aliyu, Director General of the NADDC said the charging station was an important component of its National Vehicle Electrification Program.

To expand the project, the commission is collaborating with 3 universities-  Usmanu Danfodio, Sokoto, University of Lagos and University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Aliyu tweeted, “This strategy is important because it is not just a charging station but a platform and a spring board for advanced research and development: to study, monitor and evaluate the entire system: the solar cells, storage units and electric vehicles in various climatic and usage conditions and hopefully develop even more effective solutions for Nigerian and African applications.”

He noted that the monitoring and evaluation team would consist of experts from NADDC, Usmanu Danfodio University, Hyundai and relevant Stakeholders.

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