Manny Ita –
Nigeria’s transition to electric mobility will depend heavily on strategically deployed charging infrastructure, supportive policies and coordinated public-private action, according to electric mobility engineer Engr. Seun Oluwalade, who outlined the technical and economic realities shaping adoption in the country.
Oluwalade said the most urgent infrastructure needs are along highway corridors and within busy commercial centres where demand for public fast charging is highest, stressing the importance of standardisation and interoperability across charging systems. He noted that his organisation prioritises fleet depots and partner-hosted stations because of their predictable utilisation and operational reliability.
“This is precisely why we focus heavily on fleet depot charging and partner-hosted stations, ensuring reliability where utilisation is highest,” he said.
He explained that planning charging systems for fleet operators is far more complex than for private EV owners, as it requires detailed technical analysis to guarantee consistent operations. According to him, fleet charging design involves load profiling, energy modelling, smart scheduling, redundancy planning and, in many cases, integration with solar power or backup energy systems.
“Fleet charging requires far more technical planning. It involves load profiling, detailed energy modelling, smart charging schedules, redundancy planning, and often integration with solar or backup power systems,” he said, adding that operators should prioritise overnight depot charging and deploy energy management tools. “For reliability, we advise prioritising overnight depot charging, deploying energy management systems, and designing infrastructure with future expansion in mind from the outset.”
On the challenge posed by multiple plug standards and vehicle types, Oluwalade advised EV users to work with providers that support multi-standard equipment to avoid compatibility issues as the market evolves. He said infrastructure should be built using open protocols capable of accommodating different brands and connector formats.
“The best approach is to work with integrators that support multi-standard chargers and open protocols,” he said. “We design infrastructure that accommodates different vehicle brands and connector types, protecting clients from vendor lock-in and ensuring long-term compatibility.”
Addressing concerns about reliability, he said modern electric vehicles operating in Nigeria have performed well due to their simpler mechanical design compared with internal combustion engines. He noted that battery degradation has remained limited when vehicles are properly managed and that maintenance costs are significantly lower.
“Modern EVs have proven highly reliable, largely because they contain significantly fewer moving parts than combustion vehicles,” he said. “Battery degradation has been minimal when vehicles are properly managed, and maintenance costs are typically 40–60% lower.” He advised operators to follow recommended charging practices, avoid deep discharge cycles and maintain routine thermal and software checks.
Oluwalade also emphasised that policy intervention is critical to accelerating adoption nationwide. He said Nigeria would benefit from tax incentives on electric vehicles and charging equipment, improved access to green financing and the establishment of clear regulatory standards for EV deployment.
“Nigeria would benefit from import duty and VAT relief on EVs and charging equipment, improved access to green financing for fleets, and clear EV standards and homologation frameworks,” he said. He added that public-private partnerships are essential for building charging corridors across major transport routes and creating a sustainable ecosystem involving government agencies, energy providers, financiers and mobility companies.
According to him, coordinated collaboration across stakeholders will produce far greater impact than isolated pilot projects, positioning the country for large-scale electrification of transport in the years ahead.
