The race to electrify Nigeria’s roads just got serious. The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, joined forces with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG) at Electrifying Mobility, Nigeria’s Electric Vehicle Fair, held today at Eagle Square, Abuja.
The event brought together leading automotive and clean-energy players, showcasing electric cars, SUVs, buses, and next-generation mobility technologies from brands including NEV, IRS, KAI, and KB Lamah. The message was clear: the country is accelerating its shift from internal-combustion engines to cleaner, smarter vehicles.
In his keynote, Osanipin left no doubt about the stakes. “Electric vehicles are not just an option. They are a strategic imperative for Nigeria’s automotive industry,” he said.
Highlighting the economic, technological, and environmental advantages of EV adoption, he stressed the enormous potential for local value addition, especially in battery production, which makes up the bulk of an EV’s cost. He cited China’s meteoric rise in vehicle production after embracing electrification as a blueprint for what Nigeria could achieve with strategic focus.
The NADDC DG also pointed out the economic benefits for drivers and fleet operators, noting EVs have significantly lower fueling and maintenance costs than traditional vehicles.
Barr. Ismaeel Ahmed, OON, Executive Chairman/CEO of Pi-CNG, reinforced the Federal Government’s commitment to cleaner, cheaper, and sustainable mobility. He highlighted that Pi-CNG has expanded its mandate to support electric vehicle deployment alongside CNG, a move aimed at reducing transport costs, attracting private-sector investment, and positioning Nigeria as a leader in green mobility. With over 100,000 vehicles already running on CNG, Ahmed said the country is ready to scale its clean-transport revolution.
The fair also served as a high-level platform for dialogue between policymakers, manufacturers, and investors on building EV infrastructure, scaling local assembly and component manufacturing, and creating incentives to accelerate the nation’s transition to sustainable mobility.
With the twin push from NADDC and Pi-CNG, the message to Nigeria’s auto industry is unmistakable: adapt to electric now or risk being left behind.
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