Tinubu vows to make Nigeria Africa’s hub in electric vehicle revolution

President Bola Tinubu, on Friday in Abuja disclosed that Nigeria can become an African hub in the global electric vehicle revolution. 

Speaking at the commissioning of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion, Filling, Reverse Engineering and Training Centre in Utako, Abuja, the president said his administration was focused on the full range of energy options for powering the Nigerian transport sector.

Represented by the president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the president highlighted the abundance of deposit of lithium ore, which is the raw material for electricity vehicle and battery manufacturing, adding, “In addition to gas, electric vehicles are a major plan of our overall strategy. 

“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 will make Nigeria an African hub of the global electric vehicle revolution.

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“Fortunately for us, Nigeria is blessed with abundant deposit of lithium ore, a key mineral in the development of electric vehicles and batteries. We have put in a lot of work on the way to the full implementation of the Presidential Initiative on CNG, and this event today is a testament to the success of our efforts.”

President Tinubu also declared his administration’s vision towards promoting domestic manufacturing and reducing import dependency, saying Nigeria has boundless potential to become a continental and global industrial and manufacturing giant.

The president said he was pleased with the result so far achieved under the new management of NASENI.

“What we are seeing here is the fulfillment of the vision of the founding fathers of NASENI to create an institution that is relevant and useful to the everyday life of people and the Nigerian economy,” he said.

In his remark, the chief executive officer of NASENI, Khalil Halilu, explained that the location of the facility in Utako is strategic as it is the transport hub of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), connecting it to the rest of the country.