The Nigerian government has said that sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors is the way the electric vehicle industry can succeed in the country.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, stated this at the inaugural meeting of the Electric Vehicle Assemblers and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EVAMAN) in Abuja.
Udeh, represented by Mr. Ibiam Oguejiofor, National Coordinator, Strategy Implementation Task Office for Presidential Executive Order No. 5, said the government is working to ensure Nigerian expertise, materials, and enterprises occupy a central place in the country’s industrial future.
He noted that Presidential Executive Order No. 5 remained a major policy framework designed to promote indigenous capacity and local participation in science, engineering, and technology-related projects.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology is collaborating with relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to institutionalize local content across strategic sectors, including clean transportation, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital innovation.
“Globally, the transition toward low-carbon technologies is reshaping international trade, industrial competitiveness, and investment flows. Nations that successfully adapt will strengthen their manufacturing base, improve export capacity, and attract new investments.
“Nigeria must therefore position itself not merely as a consumer market but as a producer of technology, industrial components, and clean mobility solutions for Africa and the wider global market.
“The success of Nigeria’s electric mobility transition will depend on sustained collaboration among government institutions, industry leaders, researchers, innovators, financial institutions, development partners, and the organized private sector. By working together, we can create an electric vehicle industry that is globally competitive, environmentally sustainable, economically inclusive, and firmly rooted in Nigerian innovation, Nigerian enterprise, and Nigerian industrial capacity,” he said.
Also speaking, President of EVAMAN, Mr. Mustapha Audu, said the inauguration marked a major transition of the association from a caretaker administration to an elected leadership structure.
Audu said the association had, within two years, secured legal recognition through registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and established partnerships with government institutions and industry stakeholders.
He said EVAMAN had also expanded its membership base by bringing together manufacturers, assemblers, charging infrastructure providers, renewable energy experts, researchers, and investors within the electric mobility ecosystem.
“Nigeria has enormous potential to become a major player in Africa’s electric mobility revolution.
“With our large market, skilled manpower, and growing technological capacity, we can position ourselves as a hub for electric vehicle manufacturing and clean transportation solutions in Africa,” he said.
On her part, Zahrah Audu, the Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), said the Federal Government remained committed to building a modern and innovation-driven economy under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Zahrah said electric mobility presented opportunities for industrial growth, environmental sustainability, renewable energy integration, and youth empowerment.
She also noted that PEBEC would continue to support reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business and creating an enabling environment for investment in transformative industries.
“The electric vehicle ecosystem has the potential to stimulate growth across several sectors, including manufacturing, renewable energy, logistics, infrastructure technology, and skills development,” she said.
