In a recent interview with the Electricity Hub, Dr. Olushola Ogunniyi, the founder of the myev.ng platform, noted that there are two major hindrances to EV adoption in Nigeria. He identified these hindrances as high upfront costs and user enlightenment. According to Dr. Ogunniyi, these challenges have led to the creation of the myev.ng platform.
He stated that myev.ng is a comprehensive platform designed to support Nigerians in their shift to sustainable transportation by offering expert guidance on EV purchasing, while showcasing a broad selection of electric vehicles options, and providing guidance on EV charging solutions and best maintenance practices.
Dr. Ogunniyi told the Electricity Hub that myev.ng is a collaborative platform with a straightforward mission to help Nigerians access electric vehicles across three key categories:
*User Education
*Access to Finance using a Cooperative Model
*Rapid Development of 20 feet container swap and charge stations using Franchising Model.
Dr. Ogunniyi leads multiple ventures, including Hacom Energy, myev.ng, Voltify.Africa, Foodbank.Africa and champions many sustainable solutions in co-banking, energy and electric mobility.
The myev.ng chief executive told the Electricity Hub that the platform also acts as a trusted marketplace for transparent electric mobility information and solutions, noting that it is bringing together a variety of local and foreign EV brands, accessories, services, and personalized recommendations to help Nigerians confidently transition to sustainable transportation.
He explained that understanding electric vehicle cost savings is an important factor which will drive the adoption of EVs in Nigeria. He mentioned that with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), he has developed an algorithm (simple yet powerful model) to calculate the cost savings on petrol versus EVs.
He added that the myev.ng platform provides a section on the homepage that prompts users to enter the number of petrol they buy in liters and choose the size of their vehicle engine. When this is done, the AI algorithm will compare three parameters to calculate the cost savings.
These parameters include;
Vehicle Parameters which includes fuel consumption rate for petrol vehicle (e.g., liters per 100 km), energy consumption rate for electric vehicle (e.g., kWh per 100 km) and tank capacity and battery capacity.
Cost Parameters which include average current cost of petrol per liter and average current cost of electricity per kWh (charging rate with Band B).
Travel Distance Parameters including distance the user plans to drive, in kilometers (or allow for multiple distances for better comparison).
He mentioned that 1 Cylinder (Tricycle), 4 Cylinder (2.0 – 2.8-liter engine), and 6 Cylinder (3.0 – 3.6 liter engine), assumed the capacities of Tricycle, 4 Cylinder Car and 6 Cylinder Car equivalent to be 4.14kWh, 48kWh, and 71kWh respectively.
According to him, the estimates should be based purely on the cost of charging the batteries and not considering the financing cost of EV nor batteries.
He stated that to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption and improve charging facility accessibility in Nigeria, both the government and private individuals can play critical roles. He also noted that the government can offer tax exemptions, import duty reductions, or grants for EV manufacturers and consumers. This would lower the upfront cost of EVs and make them more accessible to the general public.
Government can also establish government-run public charging stations in strategic locations such as airports, shopping malls, parking lots, and government offices. For example in the USA, the government pays property developers for installing EV charge stations on their property. Going forward, a similar policy can be enacted in Nigeria to encourage widespread adoption.
He advised government to launch nationwide campaigns to educate the public on the environmental and financial benefits of EVs and partner with environmental and energy organizations to spread awareness and promote the adoption of EVs.
He stated further that supporting local research in EV technologies, including battery innovation and manufacturing, can make EVs more affordable and efficient should be one of the things the Nigerian government can do.
According to him, the private individuals and businesses can accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption and improve charging facility accessibility in Nigeria through investing in charging infrastructure, innovation in charging solutions, education and advocacy, financial products and EV charging-as-a-service.
He said businesses and property owners can invest in EV charging stations at commercial properties, apartment complexes, and private homes. While companies with large vehicle fleets can transition to EVs, offering incentives for employees to drive electric vehicles and install charging stations.
Furthermore, he charged private individuals and businesses to involve themselves in developing mobile charging units to provide on-the-go charging, especially in rural or underserved areas and invest in battery swapping stations, allowing drivers to quickly exchange a depleted battery for a fully charged one.
He also highlighted the fact that private individuals and businesses can organise educational events and workshops to train mechanics, technicians, and business owners to maintain and install EV-related infrastructure. They can also collaborate with the government on pilot projects or initiatives to promote EV adoption and improve infrastructure.
He added that private individuals and businesses can provide financing or leasing options to make EVs more affordable, particularly for the lower-middle-income market. Companies can also offer a subscription model for charging, making it more affordable for individuals without access to home charging.