Solar-powered Cars for Nigerians by 2018

As technology is evolving every day it has become a necessity to also advance along with it, and any country that aspires to move forward globally should be part of the change. Solar and Electric Powered vehicles are definitely a tech-forward innovation and are vital keys to significantly reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. The automobile is a natural advancement of energy infrastructure, as they are cheaper and offers a positive environmental benefit. A memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by a firm, Oldang International Limited, with Chinese companies, Halkoff Logistics and Hornson Development Limited, to produce solar and electric powered vehicles in Nigeria. Oldang electric and solar-powered vehicle is an automobile propelled by one or more electric motors, using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another energy storage device. The Managing Director, Oldang International Limited, Olubunmi  Oluwadare, at the signing of the MOU in Lagos, said that the project which will start off January next year could produce up to 150 solar vehicles per day. Sokoto State Government in the meantime has begun connecting a number of rural households with solar energy. In a statement by Mallam Imam Imam, spokesman to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said a pilot scheme had kicked off in Kurdula, Balle town, in Gudu local government area of the state. The statement also cited the Special Adviser to Tambuwal on Public Private Partnership, Bashir Gidada, saying the project is a four-party partnership between the state government, the Nigeria Energy Support Project (NESP), GIZ of Germany and GoSolar. Oluwadare noted that the project is in the first phase, and was projecting sales of up to 100,000 solar and electric vehicles in 2018, with a target to generate over 50,000 direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians. When asked if it would send the tricycle operators – popularly known as Keke napep drivers – out of the market, Oluwadare said that it’s not all about competition, the objective is to reduce emission and fare, as well as reduce accidents on the road because doors are attached to the solar models, and gradually people will know the best option. Non-Executive Director of Oldang, Mohammed Dangote, said the project would create change in the transportation system through the use of natural resources and reduced cost of transportation. “I believe this will show the masses that government is really working to make a safer, cleaner and healthier Nigeria. A project like this will literally open eyes that it is possible to go for change that will not cost a lot of money.”

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This article was first published on 1st November 2017

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