The Nigerian government alongside Peramare Enterprise of Israel and SIXAI of Japan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commence assembling and manufacturing electric vehicles in Nigeria by 2023.
According to NAN reports, the MoU agreement was signed by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), in collaboration with the Israeli, Japanese, and Nigerian companies, on Thursday in Abuja.
Speaking on the partnership, Michael Freeman, Israel’s ambassador to Nigeria, stated that the collaboration, which combines Israeli, Japanese, and Nigerian technologies, would aid in addressing Nigeria’s transportation and environmental issues.
“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 to create a project that is going to work fabulously,” Freeman stated.
“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 the technology to ensure that the motorcycles are only used for legal and appropriate purposes,” Freeman added.
Prof. Mohammed Haruna, Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI, said the project Nigeria would see to the manufacturing of Nigerian-made electrical vehicles in the nearest future as this is the attempt to domesticate certain technologies in Nigeria, 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.”
According to Dr. Ayal Raz, representative of the Israeli company Peramare Enterprise, “With this innovative idea, we believe it is going to change so many things in the face of Nigeria, and also 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,” Raz said.
Mr. Sasi Shilo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SIXAI, and Japanese Partner added that his company beyond production is keen on supporting the African continent, Nigeria builds a sustainable nation with clean and safe technologies.
“We want to contribute to the African nation 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.
Contributing to the innovative idea, Hon. Wadada Aliyu, Chairman, PAN Nigeria Limited, added that it is historic because Nigeria is conforming with the order of the day which is a 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,” Aliyu said.
