Stakeholders Brainstorm on Adoption of Electric Vehicles in Nigeria

Emma Okonji

Giving the rising needs to achieve carbon zero emission and reduce the high cost of maintaining internal combustion engine vehicles, Microsoft Garage, in collaboration with the United States Embassy in Nigeria, have organised a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, to brainstorm on the possible production and adoption of electric vehicle and its accessories including the establishment of charging facilities in Nigeria.

Microsoft Garage said the forum was organised to gather more information that would enable it build on its Electric Vehicle (EV) Hackathon.

Stakeholders who attended the forum gave narration on what their companies were already doing and the challenges they were facing in the areas of electric vehicle assemblage, transmission system production, establishment of charging facilities and importation of EV batteries, among others.

They, however, stressed the need for collaboration among indigenous players in the EV space in order to produce affordable electric vehicles for Nigerians that would be sustainable, safe with high performance output and easy to maintain.  

Addressing stakeholders at the forum, the US Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade, Marisa Lago, who led the US International Trade Mission to the stakeholders’ forum, said: “Your well-deserved reputation as innovators is the primary reasons that I am in Nigeria, leading a Trade Mission comprised of minority- and veteran-owned businesses.

“These cutting-edge US companies are eager to find opportunities to expand business relationships with Nigerian counterparts.”

She said Nigeria must identify and overcome the barriers that could be obstacle in achieving EVs adoption and stated some underlying themes that would be central to achieving widespread EV adoption in Nigeria, such as supportive infrastructure for widespread adoption of EVs; availability of charging stations and the cost of EVs, which she said were still relatively high compared to conventional vehicles.

She stressed the need for supportive regulatory framework of consistent policies, standards and regulations that are aligned with international best practices that encourage investment and innovation.

Head, Corporate Communications at Innoson Vehicles, Mr. Cornel Osirwe, said Innoson Vehicles slowed down in producing electric vehicles because of unavailability of batteries, which he said remained quite expensive.

He however said companies could come together to produce batteries locally, since the raw materials are available in Nigeria.

President, Association of Renewable Energy of Nigeria, Mr. Ayo Adegbiluwa, said the association was already working with electric charging stations that use solar, to drive adoption of electric vehicles in Nigeria.

Head, Mobility and Project at Sterling Bank, Mr. Akin Akingbogun, said the bank would focus on partnership that would convert internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles, and stressed the need for the availability of charging stations across the country.

Other stakeholders stressed the need for collaboration, financing, capacity building, regulation, standardisation, security and safety in order to drive widespread adoption of electric vehicles in Nigeria.