Senate Backs Green Future As Orji Kalu’s EV Bill Passes First Reading

 The Nigerian Senate has taken a major step toward embracing clean energy and sustainable transportation as it passed the first reading of the Electric Vehicle Transition and Green Mobility Bill, 2025, sponsored by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.


The proposed legislation is aimed at establishing a comprehensive framework for Nigeria’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs), with a strong focus on local manufacturing, job creation, and environmental sustainability.


Speaking on the Bill, Senator Kalu said the objective is to position Nigeria as a regional leader in clean energy transportation while strengthening industrial capacity and innovation. “This Bill is not just about reducing carbon emissions; it’s about driving local innovation, creating thousands of jobs, and ensuring Nigeria plays a leading role in global green mobility,” he stated.


Highlights of the Bill include the development of a nationwide network of EV charging stations, government incentives to encourage EV adoption by individuals and businesses, and the integration of renewable energy into the country’s transport systems.


The Bill also sets ambitious targets to:


Promote local manufacturing of electric vehicles


Create employment across the EV value chain


Establish Nigeria as a hub for clean transportation in West Africa


Reduce dependency on fossil fuels and improve environmental health


One of the key provisions of the Bill is a strict local content requirement for foreign automakers. It mandates that no foreign company may import, sell, or distribute EVs in Nigeria without partnering with a licensed Nigerian assembler. Additionally, automakers must establish local assembly plants within three years of operation and achieve at least 30% local sourcing of components by 2030.

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