National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in partnership with Mataji Express has unveiled a new initiative to convert petrol-powered tricycles into electric vehicles in a bid to reduce costs for operators and promote clean energy.
Speaking at the event, NADDC director-general Joseph Osanipin emphasised the economic and environmental benefits of the transition.
He said the move aligns with the government’s push for sustainable transport solutions.
“This initiative is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda led by President Tinubu,” Osanipin said.
“We are here to witness the conversion first-hand. Our goal is to explore cheaper and cleaner alternatives to power our vehicles.”
The converted tricycles operate using five 12-volt, 20-amp batteries, generating 1.2 kilowatts of power. Charging these batteries under Nigeria’s Band A electricity tariff costs approximately 270–275 naira (£0.25) and provides a travel range of up to 90 kilometres.
“Electric vehicles produce zero emissions, making them more environmentally friendly,” Osanipin added.
“This is a more efficient and cost-effective way to run transportation in Nigeria.”
Dr Dan Iliya, Project Coordinator at Mataji Express, revealed that the company is planning to manufacture lithium batteries locally by the end of the year to support the growing electric vehicle sector.
“We plan to expand to other states as demand increases,” he said. “Tricycles are one of the most widely used commercial transport systems in urban and regional areas, so this conversion will make electric transport more accessible to Nigerians.”
Iliya also noted that high importation costs have made it difficult for many tricycle operators to purchase brand-new electric models. To address this, Mataji Express partnered with foreign manufacturers to develop conversion kits that allow existing petrol tricycles to be transformed into electric ones.
“We successfully converted 18 tricycles in February last year,” he said.
“They operated without any issues for an entire year, proving the reliability of this technology. Now, with NADDC’s support, we aim to scale up production and promote wider adoption.”
