FEMI OWOEYE
Nigeria is moving to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing electric vehicles in its hot climate, the risk of battery overheating.
The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and the University of Abuja have opened discussions on a strategic partnership to develop an innovative battery casing capable of improving heat management and dissipation in electric vehicles.
The initiative, discussed during a high-level meeting on September 8, 2026, could mark a significant step towards developing EV components specifically suited to Nigeria’s demanding environmental conditions.
Leading the NADDC delegation was Director General Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, while the University of Abuja team was led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi.
Unlike conventional approaches that rely heavily on imported EV technologies, the proposed project is expected to focus on research, computer modelling, testing and prototyping, with the ultimate possibility of local production and commercialisation.
For NADDC, the bigger objective goes beyond developing a battery casing.
Osanipin stressed the need to break down the wall between academic research and industrial production, arguing that Nigeria’s universities possess research capabilities that can be converted into practical solutions for the automotive industry.
The proposed collaboration could therefore provide a pathway for innovations developed in Nigerian laboratories to move into factories—and eventually onto Nigerian roads.
The University of Abuja is expected to contribute research expertise while giving students and researchers opportunities to work directly with emerging automotive technologies and real-world engineering challenges.
The proposed partnership will also explore access to NADDC facilities, practical training, component testing, reverse engineering and EV charging infrastructure.
The institutions are expected to formalise the collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), creating a framework for long-term research, innovation, skills development and technology transfer.
With Nigeria’s interest in electric mobility gathering momentum, the battery-casing project could become particularly significant.
Instead of merely importing EV technology, Nigeria is beginning to engineer solutions for its own roads, climate and future mobility needs.
©Copyright MOTORING WORLD INTERNATIONAL. All rights reserved. Materials, photographs, illustrations and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior written permission from Motoring World International
Contact: editor@motoringworldng.com
