CAWIN Mobility on Monday unveiled plans to deploy 500 electric vehicles for commercial operations in Abuja, saying the initiative could save Nigeria $3.5bn annually in fuel costs while accelerating the country’s transition to clean transportation.
The company said the project would also reduce carbon emissions by nine million tonnes annually and increase drivers’ incomes by up to $2,000 every year.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of CAWIN Mobility, Wayne Ji, disclosed this during the unveiling of the Abuja Electric Vehicle Ecosystem Strategic Partnership and assets handover ceremony, as well as the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between CAWIN Mobility and Blue Camel Energy in Abuja.
The event also featured the signing of agreements for the development of 10 solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations, the country’s first charging station project, the deployment of between 400 and 500 electric vehicles for ride-hailing operations and the establishment of the Abuja Electric Vehicle Technical Excellence Centre.
Ji said, “Electrifying public transport in Nigeria can save $3.5bn annually in fuel costs, reduce carbon emissions by nine million tonnes per year, and increase drivers’ incomes by up to $2,000 annually.
“Our goal is to make this transition accessible, profitable and sustainable.”
He described the deployment of 500 electric vehicles and the establishment of the Electric Vehicle Technical Centre as the beginning of a new era for Nigeria’s electric mobility industry.
According to him, the initiative demonstrates the company’s commitment to building a cleaner, smarter and more sustainable future while positioning Nigeria to become a leader in electric mobility in Africa.
Ji said the first phase of the project includes the development of Nigeria’s pilot electric vehicle charging station under the company’s proposed EV infrastructure programme.
He noted that a reliable charging network remained the backbone of every successful electric mobility ecosystem, adding that it would boost investor confidence and encourage the widespread adoption of electric vehicles across the country.
The CAWIN boss said the deployment of the vehicles would create employment opportunities, reduce transportation costs, improve drivers’ earnings and demonstrate the commercial viability of electric vehicles in Nigeria.
He added that the Abuja Electric Vehicle Technical Excellence Centre would provide professional training, certification, research, innovation and technology transfer to equip Nigerians with the skills needed to support the country’s growing electric mobility sector.
Ji recalled that the company had launched a programme in September last year to recruit and train 2,000 Nigerian youths in electric vehicle technology as part of efforts to build local capacity.
“We do not want Nigeria to be just a market for electric vehicles. We want Nigeria to become the leader of electric mobility in Africa.
“We are not simply introducing electric vehicles into Nigeria; we are helping to build Nigeria’s electric mobility industry,” he said.
In his welcome remarks, CAWIN Mobility’s strategic partner and consultant, Umar Uba Abubakar, said technology could only be sustained through knowledge and skills development, stressing that investment in human capital was as important as investment in infrastructure.
He said the AEV Technical Excellence Centre would offer electric vehicle certification programmes, battery technology courses, charging infrastructure training, high-voltage safety education, research, innovation and technology transfer.
According to him, the centre is designed to produce the engineers and technicians required to support Nigeria’s emerging electric vehicle industry.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Blue Camel Energy, Yusuf Suleiman, said the Memorandum of Understanding establishing AEV Tech represented an investment in Nigerian human capital.
He said the centre would focus on technical education, battery technology, charging infrastructure training, research, innovation and capacity development.
Suleiman added that charging stations, electric vehicles, technical knowledge, financing and after-sales services would together create an integrated ecosystem capable of supporting government policy, attracting private investment, creating jobs and accelerating Nigeria’s transition to clean mobility.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding renewable energy and called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to achieve sustainable economic growth.
Represented by the agency’s Director of Projects, M.D. Bala, Aliyu said investment in renewable energy infrastructure, including solar and hydropower, would improve energy security, reduce carbon emissions and expand access to clean and affordable energy for Nigerians.
He urged development partners, private investors and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration with the government in advancing the country’s clean energy agenda and commended all parties for their commitment to renewable energy development.
