Shafa Energy, NNPC New Energies Limited (NNEL), a subsidiary of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Nigus International have launched an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station in Abuja.
Shafa Energy, NNEL and Nigus also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of charging stations across Nigeria, which will see the spread of similar facilities nationwide.
The event according to the organisers marked a major step for the country’s aspiration to wean itself off other expensive sources of energy.
The chairman and chief executive of Shafa Energy, Abdulmuminu Maishanu, said that the objective of the venture was to ensure that electric vehicles and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) become good alternatives to the very expensive fossil fuels.
He noted that the plan was to ensure the survival of the country due to the current economic conditions, expressing his commitment to the federal government’s initiative to embrace cheaper fuels.
He stated that even though the rest of the world was already ahead, it was good for Nigeria to start somewhere.
The managing director of NNEL, Kanayo Odoe, described renewable energy as the future, considering that they are cheaper, cleaner and less harmful to the environment and human health.
He said that NNPCL as an organisation has a lot of interest in cleaner sources of fuels with the establishment of the new subsidiary, adding that apart from charging vehicles, the new stations will also be able to power homes.
Besides the north, he said that the charging stations will also be expanded to the south because there’s sunlight in all parts of Nigeria.
He promised to work with Shafa Energy and Nigus International to spread cheaper sources of energy to consumers.
On his part, chairman of Nigus International, Malik Ado-Ibrahim, noted that as a company operating in 18 countries, Nigus has developed over one GigaWatts of storage, with the lithium coming from Nasarawa, Niger and Taraba states.
He lauded the NNPC, stressing that the firm has been able to do what every other big multinational organisation has done and has diversified its portfolio into other areas like CNG and EVs in the near future.
Also, the chief executive of Electric Motor Vehicle Company (EMVC), an indigenous Nigerian EV company, Mustapha Audu, said the latest initiative, when expanded will reduce the cost of logistics which affect prices of goods and by extension the welfare of the citizens.
He urged the government to patronise local manufacturing firms, explaining that this will help boost the economy.
