Nigeria sets 2023 target to manufacture electric automobiles

The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Israeli as well as Japanese companies to begin the assembling and manufacturing of environmentally friendly, green, electric and smart automobiles.

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) entered into the partnership with the Israeli, Japanese and Nigerian companies in Abuja last Thursday.

Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Haruna, said the project, which the agency aims to actualise in 2023, would culminate in the production of Nigerian made electrical vehicles in the nearest future.

Haruna, who lamented that the first attempt to domesticate certain technologies in the country, especially in the automobile industry had not worked resulting in continuous importation, however, lauded the current collaboration, which he said had come to stay.

He gave the assurance that the project would be domesticated in the country.

His words: “NASENI has come into this now with the perfect partners. The technologies of Japanese and Israeli companies are proven and known.

“But most importantly, Nigeria will not just be consuming this technology; we are here to make sure that we domesticate, produce and manufacture in Nigeria.

“We are grateful and we are happy with this collaboration and we assure Nigerians that the automobile industry after this collaboration will not be the same again.”

In his remarks, Isreali Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, expressed confidence that the combination of Israeli, Japanese and Nigerian technologies would help address the many challenges affecting the transport and environmental sectors in the country.

“What is special about this project is that it is a timely project that combines Israeli technologies, Japanese technologies, Nigerian entrepreneurship and innovation together to create a project that is going to work fabulously.

“We are talking about bringing electronic motorcycles into Nigeria, which will be a programme that is green, environmentally friendly.

“It offers people a cheap way and safe way of transport and even has a technology to ensure that the motorcycles are only used for legal and appropriate purposes.

“When we look at what the problems are in the world, in Africa and in Nigeria, we are talking about issues of fuel scarcity; we are talking about green technology; we are talking about the need to provide cleaner, cheaper, easier transport.

“And here we are, having Israeli and Japanese companies coming together with Nigerian partners to provide cleaner, greener, newer, exciting technology that is expected to move people, population across the country.

“I believe that a programme that is going to start in Nigeria will be successful and will go across Africa,” Freeman said.

Representative of Peramare Enterprise, an Isreali company, Dr. Ayal Raz, said that contrary to the perception in some quarters, Nigeria was safe to invest.

“We believe this innovative idea is going to change so many things in the face of Nigeria.

“It will bring green energy, which means cheaper cost of transport and we all know what that means for our people.

“It will give work to the people because it is industry; we are going to put a factory here. We will start with assembling then building. It will give us less pollution and greener air.

“Nigeria is safe to do business and by the special grace of God it is going to come during the first quarter of 2023,” Raz said.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SIXAI, and Japanese Partner, Mr. Sasi Shilo, said his company, beyond production, was keen on supporting the African continent, particularly Nigeria, to build a sustainable nation with clean and safe technologies.

“It is very exciting moment. We have been working in the automobile industry for about half a decade. We have certified plants in 14 different countries.

“We really want to contribute to African continent with our technology. What we want to bring is not only to produce but what we want to achieve is to support the African continent to be sustainable through our products with safety and environmentally friendly features,” Sasi said.

Chairman, PAN Nigeria Limited, Wadada Aliyu, described the initiative as historic and a starting point for technological evolution in Nigeria.

“This is historic because Nigeria is conforming with the order of the day, which is green environment and memorable because NASENI has set the ball rolling.

“With this synergy between Israeli, Japan, NASENI, and PAN as a facility where the assembling will be done, I think the sky will be a starting point of technological evolution in Nigeria,” Aliyu said.

Managing Director, LINKSMAN International Ltd, Mr. Madisca Haruna, said the project seeks to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 Goal Seven, which seeks to enhance international cooperation, facilitate access to clean energy research and technology.