President Bola Tinubu has approved the introduction of electric vehicles across Nigeria’s North East region, a move aimed at enhancing sustainable transport in the area.

Rising from a meeting in Abuja Wednesday, the Managing Director of the North East Development Commission, NEDC, Mohammed Ali disclosed that the NEDC, with the President’s approval, will establish Modular Solar Power Units across the region to provide the necessary energy infrastructure for the electric vehicles. He noted that the commission had been given the green light to develop a framework for the rollout of these vehicles.

“We analyzed the region and determined that while Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, could work, electric vehicles are a more suitable option for the North East,” Alkali said, referencing the President’s previous directive for parastatals to adopt either CNG or electric vehicles.

The NEDC presented three types of electric vehicles for the region: e-buses that can carry 40 passengers, taxis for intra-state transport accommodating up to three passengers, and modified electric tricycles capable of carrying eight people in comfort, plus the driver. Alkali highlighted that the tricycle’s body was fabricated locally, emphasizing the integration of local content in the project.

This innovative approach promises to modernize transportation in the North East while contributing to the region’s economic and environmental development.

READ ALSO : FG rolls out 64 CNG buses to NLC, NANS to ease fuel subsidy impact

Credible News recalls that in a bid to alleviate the economic pressure following the removal of the fuel subsidy in 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria handed over 64 Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, buses to key stakeholders, including the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS.

The handover, which took place at the State House in Abuja on Sunday, is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, PCNGi. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, announced that an additional 700 CNG buses are expected in the coming months. The government is targeting over 200,000 vehicles and tricycles to be converted to run on CNG, which is a more affordable and environmentally friendly energy source.

The CNG initiative is seen as a key strategy to reduce transportation costs, which have skyrocketed since the fuel subsidy removal. Speaking at the event, Wale Edun emphasized that CNG-powered vehicles cost about one-third of the fuel expense of petrol-powered vehicles, reducing the burden on ordinary Nigerians. He cited that commuters would now pay as little as N15,000 to fill a tank, compared to the previous N50,000 or more for petrol.

The ministers highlighted that the distribution of 64 buses marks the start of a broader national rollout, with plans to distribute over 500 additional CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles in the near future. This move is in line with Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy and industrialization, aiming to stabilize the economy and lower inflation.

This effort aligns with Nigeria’s push for cleaner energy and affordable transportation following the removal of fuel subsidy.

Credible News.ng