The Federal Government of Nigeria has entered into an agreement with Israeli, Japanese and Nigerian companies to commence assembling and manufacturing environmentally friendly, green, electric and smart automobiles by 2023.
Towards this, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Nigerian companies and firms from Israel and Japan.
Speaking on the initiative in Abuja at the weekend, Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said that the partnership based on Israeli, Japanese and Nigerian technologies will contribute to the resolution of the transportation and environmental sectors in Nigeria.
He stated: “It is a project that is a partnership with Israeli, Japanese and Nigerian companies taking place in Nigeria.
“What is special about this project is that it is a timely project that combines Israeli technologies, Japanese technologies, Nigerian entrepreneurship and innovation together to create a project that is going to work fabulously.
“We are talking about bringing electronic motorcycles into Nigeria which will be a programme that is green, environmentally friendly.
“It offers people a cheap way and safe way of transport and even has a technology to ensure that the motorcycles are only used for legal and appropriate purposes.
“When we look at what the problems are in the world and also in Africa and in Nigeria, we are talking about issues of fuel scarcity, we are talking about green technology, we are talking about the need to provide cleaner, cheaper, easier transport.
“And here we are, having Israeli and Japanese companies coming together with Nigerian partners to provide cleaner, greener, newer, exciting technology that is expected to move people, the population across the country.
“I believe that a programme that is going to start in Nigeria will be successful and will go across Africa,” Freeman said.
Also speaking, Executive Vice Chairman NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Haruna, noted that the collaboration will be permanent in the country.
He said that this project in Nigeria will lead to the manufacturing of Nigerian-made electrical vehicles in the nearest future.
The NASENI boss stated: “The first attempt to domesticate certain technologies in this country, especially in the automobile industry has not worked with continuous importation.
“NASENI has come into this now with the perfect partners, Japanese and Israeli companies their technologies are proven and known.
“But most importantly, Nigeria will not just be consuming this technology, we are here to make sure that we domesticate, produce and manufacture in Nigeria.
“We are grateful and we are happy with this collaboration and we assure Nigerians that the automobile industry after this collaboration will not be the same again.”
In his remark, the Representative of Israeli Company, Peramare Enterprise, Dr Ayal Raz, dismissed fears that Nigeria is not safe for investments.
He said: “With this innovative idea, we believe is going to change so many things in the face of Nigeria.
“It will bring green energy which means the cheaper cost of transport and we all know what that means for our people.
“It will give work to the people because it is industry, we are going to put a factory here, we will start with assembling the building. It will give us less pollution and greener air.
“Nigeria is safe to do business and by the special grace of God it is going to come during the first quarter of 2023.”
Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SIXAI, and Japanese Partner, Mr Sasi Shilo, said that apart from production, his company is keen to support Nigeria to build a sustainable nation with clean and safe technologies.
According to him, “It is a very exciting moment. We have been working in the automobile industry for about half a decade, we have certified plants in fourteen different countries.
“We really want to contribute to African nations with our technology. What we want to bring is not only to produce but what we want to achieve is to support the African nation to be sustainable.”
Chairman, PAN Nigeria Limited, Hon. Wadada Aliyu, described the initiative as historic and a starting point for technological evolution in Nigeria, adding: “This is historic because Nigeria is conforming with the order of the day which is green environment and memorable because NASENI has set the ball rolling.
“This synergy between Israeli, Japan, NASENI and PAN as a facility where the assembling will be done, I think the sky will be a starting point of technological evolution in Nigeria.”
The Managing Director, Linksman International Ltd, Mr Madisca Haruna, explained that it seeks to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 Goal 7 which seeks to enhance international cooperation and facilitate access to clean energy research and technology.
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