FG Begins Distribution of Electric Vehicles to Civil Servants

The Federal Government has announced the delivery of the first batch of electric vehicles promised to civil servants as part of efforts to promote cleaner energy and reduce transportation costs.

The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Joseph Osanipin, disclosed this on Wednesday after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

Osanipin said the delivery marked the beginning of the government’s plan to expand access to electric vehicles and develop the infrastructure required to support alternative-energy transportation across the country.

“Today, you must have heard in the news that the first batch of the electric vehicle that the President promised civil servants was delivered today, and they are all electric vehicles,” he told journalists.

“This is the beginning of more and more that will come,” he added.

The NADDC director-general also disclosed that the government had deployed electric vehicle infrastructure in about 16 universities across Nigeria as part of efforts to develop an electric vehicle ecosystem.

He said the impact of government policies promoting electric vehicles and Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, would become more noticeable as investments in supporting infrastructure increase.

According to Osanipin, policies alone cannot achieve a successful transition to alternative fuels because infrastructure such as filling stations, mobile refill units and gas production facilities is also required.

He said the number of companies licensed to retail gas had increased from about four to 81, describing the growth as evidence of rising private-sector participation in the government’s CNG initiative.

Osanipin also cited the experience of a traveller whose fuel expenses reportedly dropped from more than N200,000 to about N40,000 after switching to CNG and refilling in Kano.

He said the example demonstrated that CNG was becoming increasingly available beyond major commercial centres and that more Nigerians could benefit as investment expands.

However, he acknowledged concerns that some commercial transport operators benefiting from lower CNG costs had yet to pass the savings on to commuters through reduced fares.

He said the next phase of government intervention would focus on ensuring that cheaper alternative fuels translate into lower transportation costs for Nigerians.

Osanipin explained that fleet operators were already benefiting from CNG but stressed the need for enforcement to ensure that savings were transferred to the public.

The NADDC boss said his meeting with President Tinubu also provided an opportunity to brief him on developments in the automotive sector, ongoing investments and draft legislation being developed for the industry.

He said the proposed legislation would strengthen the policy and regulatory framework, attract further investment and accelerate the development of Nigeria’s automotive industry.

The government’s electric vehicle initiative is part of broader efforts to diversify Nigeria’s energy sources, reduce dependence on petrol and promote cleaner transportation alternatives.