The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment towards ensuring the development and expansion of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Evelyn Ngige revealed this during the Validation Workshop of the Draft National Action Plan for the Development of EVs in Nigeria in Abuja.
The workshop organised by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has as its theme, “Positioning Nigeria among the leading countries in Vehicle Electrification.”
Ngige, represented by the Director, of the Industry Development Department of the Ministry, Adewale Bakare, however, called on all relevant stakeholders to support the realisation of the project.
“Development of EVs is no longer the future, it is now. It is here in Nigeria and it is to that extent that we should embrace what we are doing today.
“This plan highlights the necessary steps needed to be taken to achieve success in EV development, expansion and use in Nigeria.
“This includes incentives, regulatory framework, financing and infrastructural requirements such as charging stations, training and capacity building.
“The plan that we are going to deliberate on shortly also identifies relevant stakeholders that will support the development and expansion of EVs in Nigeria,” she said.
According to the permanent secretary, the workshop is organised to review and validate the plan to make it more comprehensive, and all-encompassing.
She expressed hope that the workshop would guarantee inclusiveness and synergy among all stakeholders in the development of the plan.
“This validation workshop therefore will lead to the development of a detailed and more comprehensive national action plan for the development of EVs in Nigeria from which a strategic policy and plans on EVs will emerge.
“I, therefore, call on all stakeholders and participants at this workshop to critically critique the draft document that is being presented today. With a view to ensuring that what comes out of it is a robust policy on EVs comparable to any in the world”.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure(NASENI) Bashir Gwandu, also reiterated the agency’s commitment towards the success of the project.
“This is a good effort in the right direction and we should all support it to ensure the work succeeds.
”NASENI is important to the development of the nation because we are well positioned to get things done and working together we can produce policies to make it work,” Gwandu said.
On the Solar Charging Infrastructure for the EVs, the CEO said the agency would work in collaboration with NADDC to ensure to promote its every effort towards ensuring effective charging stations.
