Tinubu Government Rolls Out First Electric Cars for Civil Servants

(President Bola Tinubu. Photo Credit: State House)

The Federal Government has delivered the first batch of electric vehicles it promised to civil servants.

The announcement came Wednesday after a meeting between the head of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Joseph Osanipin, and President Bola Tinubu.

Osanipin said this delivery marks the start of a wider plan to give more civil servants electric vehicles and build the charging stations and infrastructure needed to support them across the country.

The government has already set up electric vehicle infrastructure at about 16 universities to help develop the technology locally.

The government is also pushing people to switch to Compressed Natural Gas, or CNG, as fuel for their vehicles.

This requires more than just policy it needs gas stations, mobile refill units and production facilities.

Osanipin said the private sector is stepping in.

The number of companies licensed to sell gas has jumped from about four to 81, showing that businesses now see opportunity in the CNG market.

The benefits are already visible in some places.

One traveller’s fuel costs dropped from more than 200,000 naira to about 40,000 naira after switching to CNG and refilling in Kano.

This shows that cheaper fuel options are becoming available beyond just the major cities.

However, Osanipin acknowledged a problem.

Some commercial transport operators have cut their fuel costs significantly by using CNG but have not lowered passenger fares.

The government wants to make sure these savings actually reach regular commuters through lower transportation costs.

This will be the next focus, once all the infrastructure is in place and the government can enforce the policy.

Osanipin also told journalists that his meeting with the president covered progress in the automotive industry, ongoing investments and new laws being drafted to strengthen the sector and attract more investment.