- Ministry of Power unveils electric-powered motorcycles.
- MAX Nigeria manufactured the motorcycles.
According to a report from the Peoples Gazette, the federal ministry of Power had on Thursday launched ten electric-powered motorcycles. Max Nigeria manufactured the motorcycles under its Electric Vehicle (EV) opportunities in rural and peri-urban communities in Nigeria.
The pilot project was funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development within the framework of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP). The motorcycles were deployed to Gbamu-Gbamu mini-grid solar community in Ogun to transport goods and agricultural produce under the pilot phase of the programme.
Abubakar Ali-Dapshima, Director, Renewable and Rural Power Access Department, Federal Ministry of Power, stated that electric mobility was very important to the socio-economic development of rural and peri-urban communities. “The project’s objective is to showcase the opportunities and impact electric mobility synergised with solar mini-grid projects, bring to communities,” Ali-Dapshima, represented by Phillip Abel, a senior ministry official, said.
At the ceremony, Barka Sajou, Executive Director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), urged investors to explore the solar mini-grid sector in the country. Sajou noted that one major challenge to the sector’s sustainability was the adoption of mini-grids for productive activities. “To resolve this, the REA, with support from NESP, continues to support mini-grid developers to scale-up sustainable solutions for the sector,” he said.