The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), in collaboration with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and Surge Africa, has called for accelerated efforts to develop electric mobility infrastructure across Nigeria.
The call was made on Wednesday at a high-level roundtable in Abuja held to mark the World Sustainable Transport Day.
The event, themed “Advancing E-Mobility Infrastructure in Nigeria: Unlocking Policy, Financing, and Technical Pathways for Scalable EV Charging,” brought together government agencies, private sector players, development partners, investors, and technical experts. Discussions focused on addressing policy, financing, and technical barriers hindering the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), with particular emphasis on establishing a reliable charging network.
Representing the Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Professor Innocent Barikor, the agency’s senior official Chukwuma Nnandi-Okaybue noted that electric mobility has become central to Nigeria’s national priorities.
“Electric mobility is no longer a peripheral topic,” he said. “It is directly tied to emissions reduction, air quality, industrial competitiveness, and public health. NESREA has a clear role in shaping the environmental foundation of this transition.”
He stressed that the development of EV charging infrastructure must comply with environmental standards, underscoring the need for strict protocols on land use, electrical safety, noise, electromagnetic fields, and monitoring requirements.
On battery management, Nnandi-Okaybue highlighted the importance of proper lifecycle oversight. He referenced the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations and Extended Producer Responsibility framework, which ensure traceability, safe storage, recycling, and pollution-free recovery of EV batteries.
He further emphasised the importance of inter-agency coordination, noting that NESREA is working closely with NADDC, the Energy Transition Office, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Customs, and state environmental authorities to harmonise national standards and streamline compliance pathways for EV investors and operators.
Clean Technology Hub’s Head of Energy Access Programmes, Daramfon Bassey, warned that Nigeria’s transition to electric mobility must be strategic and timely.
“Nigeria’s transition to electric mobility will not be symbolic; it will be structural,” he said. “What we do in the next few years will determine whether the transition accelerates or is delayed for a decade. Charging infrastructure is the backbone of this shift.”
He added that Nigeria must develop solutions tailored to its realities, including an unreliable grid, rapid urban growth, and limited energy access, while leveraging opportunities such as high solar potential, growing mini-grid deployment, and emerging local EV innovators.
Speaking on behalf of Surge Africa, Joan Bishop said collaboration among stakeholders is central to achieving Nigeria’s e-mobility ambitions.
“This conversation is at the heart of our #DriveTheFuture campaign,” she said. “Unlocking policy, financing, and technical pathways for scalable EV charging is the first step toward a clean, smart, and accessible transport future.”
The roundtable reaffirmed the collective commitment of government agencies, private sector actors, and development partners to build a scalable, inclusive, and environmentally compliant EV ecosystem. Stakeholders expressed confidence that coordinated policies and collaborative action would position Nigeria as a regional leader in clean and sustainable mobility.
