The Federal Government under its Automotive Policy has outlined plans to commence the development of electric vehicles, EVs.
This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Evelyn Ngige. She said this in Abuja during the Validation Workshop of the Draft National Action Plan for the Development of EVs in Nigeria.
Ngige noted that the plan highlights the necessary steps needed to be taken to achieve success in EV development, expansion, and use in Nigeria.
Validation
The statement by the Ministry revealed that the workshop was organised by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) with the theme; “Positioning Nigeria among the leading countries in Vehicle Electrification”.
Dr Ngige noted that the Development of EVs is no longer the future, it is now, adding:
“It is here in Nigeria, and it is to that extent that we should embrace what we are doing today.
“This plan highlights the necessary steps needed to be taken to achieve success in EV development, expansion, and use in Nigeria.
“This includes incentives, regulatory framework, financing, and infrastructural requirements such as charging stations, training, and capacity building.
“The plan that we are going to deliberate on shortly also identifies relevant stakeholders that will support the development and expansion of EVs in Nigeria.”
Outline
Dr Ngige also added that the workshop is to review and validate the plan to make it more comprehensive and all-encompassing, urging:
“This validation workshop therefore will lead to the development of a detailed and more comprehensive national action plan for the development of EVs in Nigeria from which a strategic policy and plans on EVs will emerge.
“I, therefore, call on all stakeholders and participants at this workshop to critically criticize the draft document that is being presented today, to ensure that what comes out of it is a robust policy on EVs comparable to any in the world,” Ngige said.
Meanwhile, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Bashir Gwandu, noted that the electric vehicle policy is a good effort in the right direction, adding that all arms of the FG should support it to ensure its success.
On the Solar Charging Infrastructure for the EVs, he added NASENI would work in collaboration with NADDC to promote all efforts toward ensuring effective charging stations.
In May, the Nigerian Government announced the approval of the Nigeria investment policy (NInP), and the adoption of a new National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NADIP) from 2023 to 2033.
The Nigeria Investment Policy Plan would be the first-ever approved by the FG, as reported by the former Trade Minister, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo on Thursday.
Investment Policies
According to the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, the national investment policy and the automotive industry development plan were given the necessary approval by the Federal Executive Council.
2023-2033 Automotive Development Plan
Adebayo added that the 2023-2033 automotive development plan, will enable Nigeria to migrate seamlessly from combustible engines into electric solar-powered engines.
“This is an improvement on the 2013 automotive industry development plan, which was in place before.”
“The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) developed a new plan to aggressively build on the successes that have been achieved so far in the Nigerian Automotive industry.
“The new NAIDP will strategically provide outstandingly competitive fiscal and non-fiscal incentives needed by automotive industry manufacturers/producers, investors, developers, and all relevant stakeholders.”
