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Africa needs electric mobility more than other parts of the world, Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Jelani Aliyu, has argued even as he called on African countries and research institutions to promote and adopt electric vehicles.
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Aliyu. Speaking this week at a three-day workshop organised by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya, said there is a clear need for massive industrialisation and transformation in Africa and that should be fostered around the continent’s abundant green energy resources.
He told delegates from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, Latin America and the Caribbean at the workshop that Africa’s industrialisation and transformation can be achieved without destroying the continent’s environment owing to the abundance of sustainable green energy.
The NADDC’s boss who spoke as a guest speaker at the workshop with the theme: ‘Shifting to Efficient and Zero-Emission Vehicles in the Global South’, stressed that electric mobility offers an unparalleled solution to transforming the continent without undermining its natural ecosystem.
His words: “The people of Africa themselves have incredible heritage and history, from the times of the builders of the great pyramid of Giza to the reign of Mansa Musa of Mali, to the dreams, hopes and aspirations of modern-day Africans.
“These are dreams, hopes and aspirations that must now be realised to positively change the lives of every man, woman and child on the continent at an aggressive pace.”
Aliyu and other delegates at the Nairobi workshop organised by UNEP
He said: “We have put together a technical committee to work on and create a legal framework for the promotion, adoption, patronage and usage of electric vehicles (EV) in Nigeria. This will further expedite the development of Electric Mobility in the country,” while explaining to the audience the challenges and successes so far achieved on electric mobility in Nigeria.
According to him, Hyundai Kona EV was already being assembled in Nigeria, and Jet Systems Motors has the Jet Mover Electric Van. Max E has developed an electric motorcycle and Phoenix Renewables is converting mini buses from petrol to electric.
“NADDC has started the development of Electric Vehicle changing infrastructure with three pilots of 100 per cent Solar Powered EV Charging Stations located at universities to support technology transfer,” said Aliyu.
He said there was an opportunity to collaborate and get necessary support from the GEF (Global Environment Facility) programme of the UN in funding electric mobility research and projects in Nigeria.
The director general said that such included the work the NADDC was doing in partnership with academia both within and outside Nigeria towards solar-powered traction platforms for small farmers.
He urged participants that the industry would not grow from importation alone but by developing home-grown technology.
”The future must be achieved through ubiquitous and sustainable industrialisation, enabled by intelligent electric mobility to every relevant nook and cranny of Africa,” said Aliyu.
The UNEP workshop showcased the activities and impacts of UN’s Global Fuel Economy Initiative, GFEI, in developing countries.
It also brainstormed on the needed support to help them improve the efficiency of their relative vehicle fleets, including developing economy and Electric Mobility policies.
The workshop also fostered South-South cooperation among the supported countries and shared the experiences and practical examples from participating countries on cleaner and efficient fuels and Electric Vehicle policy development.
Additional Reports: NAN
