Lagos, Oando Partner To Introduce Electric Mass Transit Buses

Oando Clean Energy Limited, (OCEL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the  Lagos State Government agency tasked with planning, implementing, regulating and franchising  sustainable integrated public transport in the state.

The MoU establishes a partnership between OCEL and Lagos State in her journey to becoming a sustainable city via the rollout of electric mass transit buses, supporting charging infrastructure  and service centers (EV Infrastructure Ecosystem).

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Commissioner for Transportation, Lagos State, Dr.  Frederic Oladeinde said the MoU represented the state government’s commitment to cutting greenhouse gases by replacing it with cleaner sources of energy.

“With an understanding that transportation is a key emitter of greenhouse gases in Nigeria, we developed a strategy to cut greenhouse gases by 50 per cent. A key component of this strategy was identifying and developing a more robust mass transit system for Lagos that would include rail and waterways amongst others. Using electricity to power mass transit is a step in the right direction, and from there we would gradually transit to private cars.

He added: “This is just the beginning, there is still a lot more to come on stream. I commend LAMATA and Oando on this MoU signing, and both parties can be rest assured that they have  my full backing to ensure success.”

Commenting on the MoU signing, the Managing Director, LAMATA, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo said: “We began this journey late last year, and for us, this has been a rapid development. It speaks to the energy and zeal of both organizations, and that is commendable. Oando Clean Energy came to us with a comprehensive solution that went beyond electric mass transit buses to  include supporting infrastructure, and this was key for us, as the full remit of an EV support  ecosystem is the only way to achieve success.

‘’This initiative will not only accelerate the government’s transportation agenda, but also positively impact the health of Lagosians and the environment. The magnitude of its impact is far-reaching,  and when you start to look at it as more than a transport initiative, you will see how laudable a project it is. The Oando brand comes with know-how and experience, and we are relying on this to successfully move from MoU signing to actual implementation that will in the medium to long  term benefit over 22 million Lagos commuters. We look forward to a very robust and fruitful partnership.”

In his response, the Chairman, Oando Clean Energy, Adewale Tinubu, who was represented at  the MoU signing by Dr. Ainojie ‘Alex’ Irune said: “Oando Clean Energy was born out of a need  to curate the best energy mix to propel Nigeria and indeed Africa, to its full potential.