Nigeria and Kenya are emerging leaders of Africa’s electric mobility drive, as local firms begin assembling electric vans and taxis from Chinese-made kits, pairing manufacturing with innovative financing to accelerate adoption of clean public transport, AP has reported.

In Nigeria, Lagos-based Saglev has started assembling 18-seater electric passenger vans, using imported kits supplied by Dongfeng Motor Corp.

The company plans to produce up to 2,500 vehicles annually and said it would eventually assemble 17 electric models for Nigeria and the wider West African market.

“This is a major step in Nigeria’s transition toward clean, fossil-free transportation,” said Saglev Chief Executive, Olugbenga Falaye.

Falaye described the vehicle as the first locally assembled electric mass-transit van of its kind in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

He added that the project, which demonstrates electric mobility, is “practical, scalable and ready for adoption”.

Saglev is a joint venture between Nigeria’s Stallion Group and China’s Sokon Motor.

To address power reliability challenges, the company also plans to deploy solar-powered charging stations.

A similar push is underway in Kenya. Chinese-backed Rideence Africa has signed a $2.46 million agreement with Mombasa-based Associated Vehicle Assemblers to begin local assembly of electric taxis and minibuses.

The kits would be supplied by China’s Jiangsu Joylong Automobile and Beijing Henrey Automobile Technology.

“We are now moving decisively from operator to manufacturer. We aim to build a Kenya-rooted new-energy mobility company serving Africa,” said Rideence Africa Managing Director, Minnan Yu.

AVA Managing Director, Matt Lloyd, said the partnership would deliver Kenya’s first dedicated electric vehicle assembly line, proving the country’s capacity to assemble the vehicles locally at scale.

Electric vans and minibuses are central to public transport across Africa, where fuel costs remain high.

Operators typically spend about $3 to charge an electric vehicle for up to 200 kilometres, compared with more than $15 on petrol for the same distance.

“The assembly of electric vans is emerging as a strong market segment,” said Secretary-General of the Electric Mobility Association of Kenya, Dennis Wakaba.

“Earlier, high costs discouraged operators. As local assembly scales up, prices have fallen and orders are increasing.”

Kenya hosts one of Africa’s most active e-mobility ecosystems, with startups assembling buses and vans for public transport and ride-hailing.

Ethiopia and South Africa have also entered the space; in Ethiopia, Belayneh Kinde Group assembles about 150 minibuses a month using Chinese components.

To make EVs affordable, companies are rolling out pay-as-you-drive and lease-to-own models that reduce upfront costs.

Rideence leases taxis to drivers for about $18 a day, while BasiGo’s Kenyan operation requires a deposit followed by per-kilometre payments.

Despite the momentum, adoption remains modest. Africa has about 30,000 electric vehicles, compared with millions running on petrol and diesel, according to the Africa Mobility Alliance.

The continent manufactured just 1.1 million vehicles last year, with roughly 90 per cent produced in Morocco and South Africa.