Initiative covers 10,000 tricycles, 300 taxis and 30 buses, with stakeholders calling for transparent distribution and sustainable management…..
The North-East Development Commission has unveiled plans to introduce 10,330 electric vehicles across the six states in the region as part of efforts to reduce transportation costs, generate employment and promote cleaner mobility.
The initiative, being implemented in partnership with Attahir Enterprises Nigeria Limited, comprises 10,000 electric tricycles, 300 electric taxis and 30 electric buses.
The commission disclosed the plan during a two-day stakeholders’ engagement and sensitisation workshop held in Bauchi State, which brought together transport operators, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the end of the workshop on Friday, the NEDC Bauchi State Coordinator, Aliyu Isiyaku, said the programme was designed to provide residents with affordable, safer and environmentally friendly transportation options.
The workshop, themed “Powering the North-East: Embracing Electric Mobility for a Cleaner, Smarter and Prosperous Future,” was organised to familiarise stakeholders with the initiative and secure their support for its implementation, particularly at the grassroots.
Isiyaku said the project was expected to create employment opportunities for young people, reduce carbon emissions and contribute to environmental protection.
He added that the outcome of the initial phase would determine the prospects of expanding electric vehicle deployment across the region, urging stakeholders to help raise public awareness and promote the long-term sustainability of the programme.
Providing details of the initiative, the Chief Executive Officer of Attahir Enterprises Nigeria Limited, Umar Abacha, said the vehicles could cover distances of up to 300 kilometres on a full charge.
He explained that the electric taxis and buses would mainly operate in urban areas, with three charging stations planned to support their operations.
The electric tricycles, however, would be distributed to local government areas to extend the benefits of the programme to rural communities.
According to Abacha, each tricycle would be supplied with two charging units, allowing operators to charge their vehicles at home without depending entirely on public charging facilities.
He said the vehicles would be handed over to the respective state governments for distribution to selected beneficiaries, who would undergo training before being allowed to operate them.
The training, he added, would equip beneficiaries with the necessary skills to handle the vehicles safely and efficiently.
Stakeholders at the workshop, however, emphasised the importance of transparent distribution, effective monitoring and proper maintenance to ensure the initiative delivers lasting benefits.
The District Head of Shafa, Lawal Mohammed, pledged the support of traditional institutions in educating residents about the programme and encouraging its adoption, particularly in rural communities.
Mohammed called for sustained collaboration with community leaders, noting that grassroots awareness would be crucial to ensuring public acceptance and achieving the project’s objectives.
Similarly, the Bauchi State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Ismail Abubakar, commended the NEDC and the Federal Government for introducing the initiative.
He said the programme could ease the financial burden on transport operators, improve their livelihoods and make transportation more affordable for passengers.
Abubakar, however, urged the commission to work with recognised transport associations in selecting beneficiaries, arguing that their involvement would promote fairness, transparency and accountability.
He said the unions were better positioned to identify genuine operators who could put the vehicles to productive use.
The Chairman of the Bauchi State Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators’ Association, Bala Dauda, also pledged the association’s support, describing the initiative as an opportunity to improve the welfare of operators and passengers.
Dauda called for transport unions to be involved in identifying beneficiaries, saying their knowledge of members’ needs would help ensure that the vehicles reached the intended recipients.
The Zonal Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Abdullahi Muhammad, equally welcomed the programme, citing its potential to create jobs and reduce the cost of transportation.
“We are very excited and happy about the project because of the benefits it will bring to the people,” Muhammad said.
He nevertheless warned that proper management and clear operational guidelines would be essential to sustaining the programme and protecting the investment.
“My advice is that adequate attention should be given to the sustainability of the project because we believe it will benefit the masses across the country,” he said.
Muhammad cautioned against distributing the vehicles without clearly defined conditions covering their use, maintenance and accountability.
He stressed that beneficiaries needed to understand their responsibilities, adding that the vehicles should not be treated as personal entitlements but as assets intended to provide transportation services and improve livelihoods.
He said effective implementation would determine whether the initiative translated into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians.
The RTEAN zonal chairman also advocated distributing the vehicles directly through recognised transport unions rather than relying solely on state governments.
According to him, such an arrangement could reduce the risk of political considerations influencing the selection of beneficiaries and help ensure that genuine transport operators were prioritised.
He noted that established transport unions operate under defined constitutions and regulations, which could provide a framework for transparent distribution and accountability.
Muhammad further proposed an equitable allocation of the vehicles across Bauchi State’s three senatorial zones, with operators who were not accommodated in the initial phase considered in subsequent allocations.
He said clear eligibility criteria and effective monitoring mechanisms would be necessary to prevent the diversion or misuse of the vehicles.
Highlighting the economic pressures facing transport operators, Muhammad identified the rising cost of petrol as a major factor driving up operating expenses and making affordable fares increasingly difficult to sustain.
He cited a petrol price of about ₦1,460 per litre as a significant burden on operators, arguing that the introduction of electric vehicles could provide some relief by reducing dependence on petrol.
However, he noted that charging, maintenance and other operational costs would still need to be considered to ensure that the vehicles remained affordable to operate.
The commission’s planned deployment represents a major proposed investment in electric mobility across the North-East, with its ultimate impact expected to depend on how effectively the vehicles are distributed, maintained and integrated into existing transport services.
