Panellists at Jet Motor Company webinar called for the integration of e-mobility in Nigeria

Panellists at the Jet Motor Company webinar held Friday, March 25, 2022, called for the integration of e-mobility into the Nigerian transportation system.

Panellists at the event included:

Similoluwa Bolaniran, VP Product, MAX
Akachukwu Okafor, CTO, Shuttlers
Joseph Osanipin, CEO, Jet Motor Company

Tagged “Unlocking Pathways to Accelerating E-Mobility in Nigeria,” panellists insisted on changing mindsets to build the e-mobility space in Nigeria, and for e-mobility to be a bigger conversation than it already is.

“It is high time Nigeria key into that,” Joseph Osanipin, CEO, Jet Motor Company said.

“Nigeria cannot be left out,” he added. He laid emphasis at the event, which he said was the first in a series still to come, on the cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness of e-mobility, arguing that it is the right step to go for a country that “means well.”

“We keep lamenting the impact of climate change. We all have agreed that global warming is costing us so much. Researches have also established that keying into e-mobility which is based on sustainable mechanism is cost-efficient and eco-friendly. If we then mean well, there is an urgent need for us to transit from the use of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to a cleaner and safer choice presented by EVs.”

Joseph Osanipin

While western countries are jumping rapidly on e-mobility, Nigeria doesn’t have the luxury to be too quick to integrate e-mobility into her transportation system, for all kinds of infrastructural deficiencies, most notably the power inconsistency. Regardless, the panellists are optimistic that the future of e-mobility in the country is bright.

Akachukwu Okafor of Shuttlers said that there is so much work being done behind the scenes to accelerate the integration of e-mobility in Nigeria that is “eco-friendly solutions and climate-friendly solutions.”

“Continents and countries are ramping up to be green,” he added. He also called for more partnerships with the government and the demonopolisation of major transport systems that he said would lead to “more investment into green transport,” saying that “the right infrastructure to support it sustainably” is of the essence.

At the event, power and Nigeria’s failure over the years to create sustainable and effective power was echoed by panelists as one of the foundational stumbling blocks to the e-mobility movement in the country.

“Power is a big thing,” Similoluwa Bolaniran said. He added that the dollar has worsened the situation, skyrocketing the prices of the batteries that electric vehicles need to astronomical rates. But, he added that European partners have created a panacea for the pricey nature of the batteries.

Unlike fuel-powered vehicles which can be noisy, these electric vehicles make less noise. Panellists say that this will be one of the defining factors that will draw Nigerians to e-mobility. “Imagine all these noisy things are converted to EVs,” Bolaniran said.

Joseph Osanipin remains optimistic that the future is in e-mobility adding that e-mobility will change the face of transportation in Nigeria.

“People are afraid of transiting but what is certain is that e-mobility will change the face of transportation in Nigeria. Power will improve. Our cities will become cleaner and greener,” Joseph Osanipin said.

The event had stakeholders, e-mobility enthusiasts, media platforms, in attendance.