By ebosele@hotmail.com –
Key stakeholders from Nigeria’s automotive, energy and transportation sectors will converge in Lagos on July 30, 2026, for the third edition of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Auto Summit, with discussions focused on accelerating the country’s transition to cleaner and more affordable transportation.
The summit, scheduled to hold at the Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, is themed “Nigeria’s Clean Mobility Future: The EV and CNG Journey Under the Bola Tinubu Administration.”
According to a statement issued by the summit’s organising committee, the high-level forum will bring together policymakers, regulators, vehicle manufacturers, energy providers, transport operators, financiers and industry experts to evaluate the progress, opportunities and challenges surrounding the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles in Nigeria.
Chairman of NAJA, Theodore Opara, said the summit is intended to provide practical solutions for reducing transportation costs, strengthening energy security and stimulating economic growth through clean mobility initiatives.
He noted that Nigeria’s vast natural gas reserves position the country to leverage CNG as a strategic bridge toward a cleaner transportation future.
“Nigeria possesses one of Africa’s largest gas reserves. Expanding CNG infrastructure can provide a practical bridge towards a cleaner mobility future while supporting energy security and reducing pressure on foreign exchange used for fuel imports,” Opara said.
He stressed that collaboration among government agencies, vehicle manufacturers, financial institutions and transport operators would be critical to achieving affordable, environmentally friendly and sustainable transportation nationwide.
Among the keynote speakers expected at the summit are the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG and EV), Barrister Ismael Ahmed; the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Joseph Osanipin; and the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed. Other prominent stakeholders from both the public and private sectors are also expected to participate.
Participants will deliberate on key issues including policy implementation, infrastructure development, financing mechanisms, safety standards, local vehicle assembly, investment opportunities and consumer adoption strategies required to advance Nigeria’s clean-energy transportation agenda.
The summit comes at a time when government support for alternative fuels is gaining momentum following the removal of fuel subsidies and the implementation of programmes by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), which have placed EV and CNG mobility at the centre of national economic and environmental discussions.
According to Opara, deliberations will also examine strategies for expanding charging and refuelling infrastructure, promoting environmental sustainability and leveraging the media to increase public awareness of clean transportation technologies.
Chairman of the Summit Planning Committee, Rasheed Bisiriyu, said industry leaders would present practical case studies from emerging EV and CNG projects while outlining solutions to challenges such as high vehicle acquisition costs, inadequate infrastructure and limited technical expertise.
He emphasized that the successful development of a robust EV and CNG ecosystem could significantly reduce logistics and transportation costs, improve mobility and ease pressure on foreign exchange spent on fuel imports.
“Government incentives alone will not guarantee success. Investment in charging stations, CNG conversion centres, maintenance facilities and technical training will determine how quickly adoption can scale nationwide,” Bisiriyu said.
With growing public interest in alternative-energy vehicles and increasing policy backing from the Federal Government, the 3rd NAJA Auto Summit is expected to provide critical insights and a practical roadmap for advancing Nigeria’s clean mobility transition while making transportation more affordable and sustainable for citizens.
