The Federal Government has approved the acquisition of electric buses for civil servants as part of efforts to promote local vehicle assembly and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to cleaner transportation.
The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Joseph Osanipin, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.
Osanipin said the buses would be sourced from local assemblers to strengthen domestic manufacturing and stimulate growth in Nigeria’s automotive sector.
He added that the government had also procured charging infrastructure to be installed across parts of the country to support the deployment and adoption of electric vehicles.
“The initiative is aimed at encouraging the transition to cleaner mobility while creating opportunities for local manufacturers,” Osanipin said.
The council is also establishing an automotive development park in Nnewi, Anambra State, to strengthen Nigeria’s automotive ecosystem.
He said the facility, known as the Nnewi Automotive Development Park, would provide shared infrastructure for automotive manufacturers and component producers.
“We are developing the Nnewi Automotive Development Park where we will provide the necessary infrastructure so that users of the park can share facilities. The arrangement will allow investors and manufacturers to operate without having to individually provide all the required infrastructure before establishing operations,” he said.
Osanipin added that the council was seeking additional investment to accelerate development of the park and attract more players into the sector.
He urged Nigerians to patronise locally assembled vehicles, noting that doing so would help create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
The NADDC director-general also said the council is providing training to manufacturers and other stakeholders to promote local production of vehicle components such as batteries and tyres.
“The move will reduce import dependence, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product,” he said.
He further stated that the council is collaborating with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to facilitate the disbursement of the National Automotive Development Fund to qualified stakeholders.
Osanipin also said NADDC plans to forward a bill to the National Assembly to strengthen the council’s operations in line with global best practices.
He reiterated the council’s commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s automotive industry and called for continued support from investors and stakeholders. (NAN)
