Minister of Regional Development, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh, on Thursday inspected more than 10,000 electric vehicles being assembled locally in Maiduguri under the North East Development Commission (NEDC), describing the initiative as a major milestone in job creation and sustainable transportation across the North-East.
The fleet, which includes electric luxury buses, tricycles and taxis, is being assembled by young Nigerians engaged by the commission. The vehicles are expected to be distributed across the six states of the North-East upon completion.
Momoh, who is on a two-day working visit to Borno State, expressed satisfaction with the pace of work after touring the assembly plant in Maiduguri.
According to him, the project will significantly improve transportation services in both urban and rural communities while creating thousands of employment opportunities for young people.
Speaking to journalists after inspecting the facility, the minister said:
“We have visited the e-vehicles assembly plant by the management of the North-East Development Commission, which is a project approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
“We are here to take a look at the assembling process. Even before the commissioning, jobs have been created. The vehicles are being assembled by our people.
“When I asked the Director of Operations, he said before they complete the 10,000 target, at least, we must have catered for not less than 100,000 persons who will get jobs in the assembling process. This is the transformation that this administration is talking about.”
Momoh noted that the scale of work already completed was impressive, adding that nearly all the targeted 10,000 electric vehicles and tricycles were already on site undergoing assembly.
“From what we have seen today, I can say that I am very much impressed because nearly all the 10,000 e-vehicles and tricycles are now on ground being assembled.»
“We have also seen a number of e-taxis and buses. We are very much impressed. For me, I think we are not disappointed, and I am sure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will also be very happy to see that this project has actually seen the light of day.”»
The minister said the vehicles would be deployed across the six North-East states, where they are expected to boost mobility, stimulate economic activities and create additional employment after deployment.
“I have been told that all those e-vehicles are going to all the six states in the North-East and by the time they get there, apart from the fact that it will help to improve the movement of people, it will also create jobs.”
Momoh added that the ministry also inspected ongoing rural road projects, noting that the infrastructure would complement the electric vehicle initiative by improving access to communities and supporting regional development.
