Nigeria’s EV Push Grows, but Weak Power Supply Remains a Major Test
Nigeria is stepping up efforts to expand electric vehicle adoption, using tax incentives, local assembly programmes and new charging infrastructure to encourage a shift away from petrol-powered transport. But the country’s unreliable electricity supply remains one of the biggest obstacles to wider adoption.
Government data cited by Reuters shows that nearly 4,000 electric vehicles received tax exemptions in the first half of 2026. Nigeria has also removed import duties on qualifying EVs as part of a broader attempt to make cleaner vehicles more affordable.
The government’s long-term ambition is for electric vehicles to account for 60% of Nigeria’s vehicle fleet by 2050, according to Reuters. Earlier this year, President Bola Tinubu also expanded the mandate of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas to include electric vehicles, charging infrastructure and related investments nationwide.
Nigeria is already seeing activity from local manufacturers and mobility companies. Saglev is assembling electric vehicles in Lagos, while companies including MAX and Spiro are building battery-swapping networks for electric motorcycles and three-wheelers. Those smaller vehicles are emerging as one of the more practical entry points for electric mobility because batteries can be exchanged instead of waiting for conventional charging.
The federal government has also backed more visible public transport projects. It announced plans in June to roll out 10,000 electric tricycles from August, while the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has already introduced electric transport services at airports in Abuja and Lagos.
The challenge is power.
Reuters reports that Nigeria’s electricity system supplies roughly 4,000 megawatts to a population of more than 200 million people, leaving many households and businesses dependent on generators. Public EV charging infrastructure also remains limited.
That has pushed manufacturers and operators towards alternative models, including solar-powered charging, battery swapping and vehicles with range-extending systems.
Nigeria’s National Automotive Design and Development Council is also working with other government agencies on EV infrastructure and safety standards. In January, the council signed an agreement with South Korea’s Asia Economic Development Committee aimed at supporting EV manufacturing and charging infrastructure in Nigeria.
The direction of policy is becoming clearer: Nigeria wants electric mobility to form a larger part of its transport system. Whether that ambition moves beyond early adoption will depend heavily on whether charging infrastructure and electricity generation can grow alongside the vehicles themselves.
