Nigeria’s automotive sector eyes growth with CNG, electric vehicles
Nigeria’s automotive sector eyes growth with CNG, electric vehicles
By Lucy Ogalue
The Nigerian automotive industry is gearing up for a significant transformation with focus on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Electric Vehicles (EVs).
The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Joseph Osanipin, told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja that Nigeria’s abundant natural resources were key to this transformation.
“On EVs, Nigeria has a very good advantage if we pursue EVs as well as CNG parts.
“The advantage in CNG is because we have natural gas in abundance, it naturally makes it cheaper for us to go that route.
“Again, we have the technical know-how and the component parts,” he said.
According to Osanipin, many are already thinking of manufacturing cylinders, fossils, and many other CNG components in Nigeria.
He said the push for CNG and EVs was about technological advancement and economic benefits for the country.
“Investors see Nigeria’s large and growing youth population as a prime opportunity, with the population and Nigeria’s economy, investors know this is where to invest, “ he said.
On the benefits of CNG, the director-general said producing these components locally would force down the prices of some of these parts and even the price of new vehicles.
Osanipin said part of the strategy required using a deletion policy, where imported parts were gradually removed from the locally assembled vehicles, thus making our vehicles more competitive in price.
According to the NADDC boss, the council aimed to leverage these advancements to create more jobs and increase technological transfer.
The director-general also credited the propelled auto industry to the Tinubu-led administration’s focus on ease of doing business and digital innovation.
According to him, digital innovation has significantly influenced NADDC’s operations by helping it gather data easily, advise on specialisation, and track vehicle registration across the country, among other things.
Osanipin said that to further support the automotive industry, NADDC would inaugurate a vigorous campaign to raise awareness about locally assembled vehicles.
“We are going to visit media houses to let them know our reality.
“We want to sensitise Nigerians about the benefits of buying locally made vehicles.”
“This campaign will highlight the activities of the council and the achievements of local assemblers, promoting the quality and availability of Nigerian-made vehicles,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams
Published By
-
Editor/Assistant Chief Correspondent,
FCT Correspondent,
NAN Abuja.
Has also recently published
- FeaturesDecember 24, 2024Understanding the airpower influence on counter-terrorism operations
- FeaturesDecember 23, 2024Public-Private Partnership regulation effective driver of economic growth
- Economy/BusinessDecember 23, 2024FG lifts 5-year ban on mining exploration in Zamfara
- MetroDecember 20, 2024Yuletide: More than 340,000 passengers to enjoy free train rides – NRC