Following the passage of the Electric Vehicle Transition and Green Mobility Bill, 2025 through its second reading in the Senate on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, stakeholders in the automotive industry have continued to commend the Red Chamber for prioritising the development of the sector.
In their various reactions, they applauded Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who is the senator representing Abia North, for crafting the proposed law.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a national framework for the transition to electric vehicles, encourage local manufacturing, and strengthen Nigeria’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
These targets were acknowledged by the auto industry chieftains, as capable of lifting the domestic auto industry, if the bill becomes an act and assiduously implemented.
Some of the auto industry leaders who analysed the bill included the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Chief Joseph Oluwemimo Osanipin; the National Coordinator, Automotive Local Content Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (ALCMAN), Chief Anselm Ilekuba and Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Ltd (IVM) Chairman, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, CON.
They observed that the objectives of the bill dovetail into some of the aims of the Auto Policy (Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Programme, NAIDP), which is currently being fine-tuned preparatory to presentation to the federal lawmakers.
They also noted that Senator Kalu’s initiative is timely, because it has come when the global industry is steadily de-emphasizing vehicles that are powered by internal combustion engines (ICE) and embracing electric vehicles that enhance reduction in carbon emissions.
Commenting on the bill, the NADDC Director General commended Senator Orji Kalu and the upper chamber for recognising the reality that the future of mobility lies in electric vehicle technology.
Chief Osanipin said: “We at the NADDC have said it time and time again, that the future of mobility is in electric vehicles, and it is commendable when your legislators see it the way it is.
“And they have also shown that they are aware that we in Nigeria don’t have to sit back and allow the whole world to move far away and leave us behind, only for us to complain later.
“It will not be good to do nothing now and start complaining later. It is always good that whenever we want to take action, we don’t take action based on policy alone, but also back whatever we are doing with law.
“The (Electric Vehicle Transition) bill in the Senate shows that our society is responsible. It shows that our government is responsible. It shows that all of us are responsible, and it is also good to note that the sponsor of this bill, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, is a member of the Senate committeie on Industry that has oversight on NADDC, and he understands the issues involved.
“”The Senate Committee on Industry is one of the committees where you have many legislators who have held the executive position in their various states. So, Senator Orji Kalu understands what it takes to grow this industry.”
The NADDC Director General stated that, though he had not seen the details of the bill, it was clear to him from what he had read so far, that it is all about the development of the auto industry, and about “putting in place the necessary infrastructures, and the necessary support that are going to drive this industry.”
He drew attention to the fact that many countries have set target dates to end the production and sale of new petrol and diesel cars as part of their efforts to fully embrace electric vehicles and reduce carbon emissions.
Orji Kalu’s bill, he therefore argued, is necessary to place Nigeria on the same pedestal as other countries that have joined the trend.
“May I tell you that in some countries like China, for example, they have already set a target (to stop the manufacture and use of petrol and diesel vehicles), and before that deadline, their people are free to register their vehicles just the way you do your licence every year here.
“But, after that time which I think is in the next eight years or so, you cannot get a licence for your vehicle again if the vehicle is not EV.”
Like the NADDC helmsman, the Chairman of Innoson extolled the senators for promoting the interest of Nigeria’s auto industry with the EV legislation, and for being future-focused.
Chief Chukwuma, who is building a completely new multibillion naira auto plant in Nnewi, which was conceived to manufacture only EVs and other vehicles that run on Compressed Natural Gas, suggested that the bill should. be made to also accommodate the deepening of CNG utilisation.
This is because in the considered views of the first indigenous automaker in Africa, apart from Nigeria being abundantly endowed with gas, users of CNG-powered vehicles enjoy tremendous advantages, including cheaper cost per kilometre, and considerably low maintenance expenses.
Senator Kalu’s bill, according to Chief Chukwuma, is in tandem with President Bola Tinubu’s green mobility strategy which seeks to promote widespread adoption of Compressed Natural Gas and electric vehicles in Nigeria.
Equally applauding the introduction of the bill is Chief Ilekuba who, apart from being the National Coordinator of ALCMAN, is also in the vanguard of the efforts to boost auto parts manufacturing for vehicle production in Nigeria – in addition to helping to drive the domestic auto industry towards developing the electric vehicle technology.
Ilekuba said it was gratifying to note that the federal lawmakers were backing the efforts of investors like him, whose Cedric Masters Group assembles in Lagos JIM-ISUZU, a brand of vehicles in the forefront of electric vehicles production in Nigeria.
Apart from the rugged 2.4 litre JIM ISUZU Re-Max 4×4 pick-up which has already started making a mark in the market as a reliable work horse, Cedric Masters is also ushering into the Nigerian market the Leapmotor brand known for its affordable and tech-focused new energy vehicles (NEVs).
The company is also introducing into the local market the Voyah brand of luxury electric vehicles.
The Cedric Masters Group Chairman remarked, “Our subsidiary, Cedric Clean Energy Solution, which has an electric charge station assembly plant in Lekki, Lagos State, sees this as a wonderful development and calls for greater stakeholder involvement, especially with NADDC and ALCMAN.
“I commend Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for this laudable bill which shows vision and will serve as a cursor to the long-awaited Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Programme.”
When the proposed legislation had its second reading last week, lawmakers overwhelmingly supported it, describing it as a necessary step to diversify the economy and align with global clean energy trends.
Senator Kalu had informed the senate that the legislation aims to transform Nigeria’s automotive and energy sectors, foster innovation, and create jobs throughout the manufacturing value chain.
Key highlights of the bill include: tax holidays, import duty waivers, toll exemptions, and subsidies for electric vehicle users and investors; and making it mandatory for all fuel stations to install charging points
The bill further requires foreign automakers seeking to sell electric vehicles in Nigeria to partner with licensed local assemblers and establish domestic assembly plants within three years.
It also aims to compel companies to source at least 30 percent of their components locally by 2030, while violations could attract fines of up to 250 million naira per breach, even as unlicensed importers risk penalties of 500 million naira and confiscation of goods.
The legislation, which is expected to position Nigeria as a potential hub for electric vehicles production in Africa, would incentivise investors who establish charging infrastructure by availing them with government grants and tax credits.
With various developed economies, including European countries, setting targets of between 2030 and 2040 to completely phase out the manufacture and use of fossil-fuel vehicles, the NADDC DG was careful not to be specific on a target for Nigeria.
Rather, in line with the aims of the auto policy, “We are pushing to get to a point that by 2035, the adoption rate of electric vehicles (in Nigeria) will be much higher,” the Director General stated.
Both Osanipin and Chukwuma would be happy to see a situation where the Electric Vehicle Transition and Green Mobility Bill, 2025 becomes a legal framework to be used to obviate a situation in the future where Nigeria would be a dumping ground for petrol and diesel vehicles phased out at the end of other countries’ target dates.
Concerned that not to do this would jeopardise efforts to ensure widespread adoption of electric vehicles in Nigeria, the NADDC Director General, said, “We also have to develop and prepare, because If we are not looking at taking action today, those vehicles they can no longer register in China and other countries, what do you think will happen to them? Your guess is as good as mine.”
He assured that the NADDC would be willing to give any kind of support needed to ensure the bill is passed into law and vigorously implemented..
His pledge, “We are ready to honour their invitation, if they call us to give support. If they need any questions, if they need any information, we are always available. We are happy that our legislature is taking this to the next level.
“It is always good when you have people that are ready to give you legislative backing. We are ready to work with the National Assembly. If they call us for a presentation, we’ll be there. We are ready to work with them.”
