The director-general, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Jelani Aliyu, has said that charging stations for electric vehicles is not the business of the federal government alone but collaboration between the government and the private sector.
Jelani said effective supply of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is a necessary support for their development and also an important strategic measure to promote energy consumption revolution and green development and cannot be left in the hands of the government alone.
Jelani was speaking during the NADDC -organised Seminar/Workshop on Electric Vehicles and Solar-powered Traction in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges,” in Abuja.
Addressing participants drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), assembly plants, auto dealers, National Assembly, academic institutions, Nigerian Automotive Technicians Association (NATA) and other automotive stakeholders in the country, Jelani said the global shift to solar, and electric vehicles, is too monumental for Nigeria to overlook, adding that the programme was aimed at bringing key industry stakeholders together to deliberate on how the country could begin early to key into the global trend and gradual shift to cleaner, healthier and more sustainable environment through cleaner energy and emission free vehicles.
“We are not looking at a purely government endeavour, for any industry or sector to progress, it has to be a joint effort.Government comes on as a catalyst, provide the necessary environment and the private sector comes in with much of the funding and management.
“Just like we have petrol and diesel stations across the country, they are primarily private sector-owned. So, the same thing, we set up the framework and regulations and give all the necessary support,” he said.
While agreeing that there was the need for a supporting infrastructure and finance structure that would enable electric vehicle penetration in the country, Jelani said government has a multi-faceted plan for the electric vehicle sector, the most important being the production of these vehicles and the development of infrastructure which has started.
Jelani explained that Nigeria is picking up the pace to join the globe as electric cars are fast becoming the vehicles of choice.
He cited Stallion Motors which launched first-ever Nigeria made electric car named Hyundai-Kona in November, last year and also Jet Motors Nigeria which produced the JET MOVER electric vehicle.
“We have Hyundai Kona, we have the JET Systems and we have the 100 per cent solar powered charging stations at three universities. We have the University of Lagos, we have the University of Nigeria Nsukka, already they have produced electric vehicles, so the game is on.
“We at NADDC will continue to promote electric vehicles and continue to let Nigerians know how they are actually better for us. It is a lot work but like I mentioned earlier, this is something that will need the support of the whole nation. I believe that following the commitment by these companies, we will get more and more companies to produce electric vehicles in the country,” he said.
A communique issued at the end of the workshop recommended that the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) should
work towards the development on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis, ten (10) solar- powered electric vehicle charging stations in each of the 774 local government areas of the country by 2023. This it maintained, would translate to 464,400 solar modules.
It also recommended the setting up of a national committee to produce the nation’s electric vehicle roadmap which should be incorporated into the NAIDPas well
as into the overall National Industrial Policy.
Further it said more component manufacturing plants should be established to produce electric vehicle systems components like inverters and charge controllers and also the involvement of Nigerian Association of Chambers, Industry, Mines
and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria
(MAN) as well as the African Development Bank (AfDB) should be
initiated and facilitated by NADDC in order to facilitate access to funding by the private sector group.
The communique said there was the need for advanced recycling technologies, including the automated dismantling and processing of IoE batteries, adding that government should encourage small holder investors through reduced
taxation, import duty reduction and improvement in the social and
economic security of the people among other recommendations.
