- pledges to make Nigeria hub of electric vehicle revolution
By Chesa Chesa
President Bola Tinubu says that Nigeria has the capacity to become African hub in the global electric vehicle revolution, and he is prepared to see that through.
He said so on Friday at the commissioning of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI)’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion, Filling, Reverse Engineering and Training Centre in Utako, Abuja.
Represented by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the President noted that the abundance of deposit of lithium ore which is the raw material for electricity vehicle and battery manufacturing, can make this dream possible for Nigeria.
His words: “Let me say that we are equally focused on the full range of energy options for powering the Nigerian transport sector. So, in addition to gas, electric vehicles are a major plan of our overall strategy.
“Again, I am aware that NASENI is championing efforts in this direction, with an ambitious plan to develop and build Lithium batteries in Nigeria, working with foreign partners.
“We can and we will make Nigeria an African Hop of the global electric vehicle revolution. Fortunately for us, Nigeria is blessed with abundant deposit of lithium ore, a key mineral in the development of electricity vehicles and electricity batteries.
“We have put in a lot of work on the way to the full implementation of PCNGI and this event today, is a testament to the success of our efforts.”
The President highlighted his administration’s vision to promote the domestic manufacturing and lessen import dependency, with NASENI playing a vital role.
“That is why, it was one of the agencies of the Federal Government, where we put in place a new management team last year when we came on board,” he stated, saying that he is pleased with the result so far achieved under its Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), Khalil Halilu.
“I’m also convinced that if we get it right with NASENI, we will get it right with Nigeria’s industrialization programme.
“This is a federal agency that has the mandate and the platform to drive the science, engineering and the industrial efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” ,Tinubu stated.
He further pointed out that his administration’s Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGI), is a flagship programme by which it actively supports a private sector-led rollout of critical gas infrastructure to drive innovation and industrialisation in the country.
The President noted that NASENI’s contribution to the development of technical and human capacity for converting engines to CNG compliant engines, “demonstrates that we are not only a government that points out where we are headed but also tries to lead by example.
“As chair of the governing board of NASENI, I will continue to provide the oversight and the overall leadership for the attainment of NASENI’s launchpad and its aspirations. We will transform this energy based agency into a model of public sector excellence of public private partnership,” President Tinubu added.
In his remark, the NESENI EVC/CEO explained that location of the facility in Utako is strategic as it is the transport hub of Abuja, connecting the federal capital to the rest of the country.
Noting that the operation will be expanded to other parts of the country, Halilu assured that NASENI is building a recognizable national brand that will make itself felt in every lives of Nigerians, through “products that will bring down the cost of living, improve the quality of life, promote efficiency, and amplify national pride.”
He revealed that the CNG Center was developed in partnership with Portland and KIA, demonstrating the agency’s collaborative approach, as well as our readiness to leverage existing infrastructure to achieve our mandates.
The EVC/CEO added: “Mr. President, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, at NASENI, we are driven by a desire to conserve resources, avoid duplication of effort, and shorten the time that it takes from product conception to market.
“What this means is that whenever we find a serious partner, who are already operating in areas of our interests, we will work and synergize with them to deliver products and projects that are market ready.
“As a government agency, we are not out to compete with private sector, instead, we hear partners and enablers helping with everything from research to design to testing to scale up production capacity and seeking out new markets and customers.
“This is what we have just accomplished here with this state of the art center commission today. This facility can convert 15 cars every two hours, translating into an output of 2,700 conversions every month.”
