By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government on Tuesday, reiterated its commitment to the development of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Evelyn Ngige said this in Abuja during the Validation Workshop of the Draft National Action Plan for the Development of EVs in Nigeria.
The workshop was organised by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) with the theme, “Positioning Nigeria among the leading countries in Vehicle Electrification.”
Ngige, represented by the Director, Industry Development in the ministry, Adewale Bakare, called on relevant stakeholders to support the project.
She said, “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 her, the workshop is to review and validate the plan with a view to making it more comprehensive and all encompassing.
She expressed the 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 criticise 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,” Ngige said.
The Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Bashir Gwandu, also re-echoed the agency’s commitment toward the success of the project.
Gwandu said, “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.”
On the Solar Charging Infrastructure for the EVs, the CEO said the agency would work in collaboration with NADDC to promote every effort toward ensuring effective charging stations.
Earlier, the NADDC Director-General, Jelani Aliyu, said the council was committed to promoting renewable energy powered vehicles.