NADDC Visits Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Firm, SAGLEV

The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has commended SAGLEV Electromobility Nigeria Limited, “for pioneering electric vehicle manufacturing in Nigeria”.

The NADDC Director General, Mr. Oluwemimo Joseph gave the commendation on Tuesday during NADDC familiarization tour of SAGLEV EV assembly plant located in Imota, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Speaking through the councils Deputy Director, Media and Protocol, Mrs Felcia Oyebolu, who represented him at the occasion, Osanipin described SAGLEV assembly plant as a facility that meets all international standards. 

He said: “This plant is of international standard with a capacity to assemble different categories of electric vehicles, including buses.

The familiarization tour, according to the DG spokesperson, is aimed at showcasing the achievements of the nations auto assemblers and manufacturers.

She stated: There are many Nigerians who do not know they can easily buy brand new locally assembled vehicles in Nigeria. They need to know what our assembly plants are doing.

“Our visit to them will also afford us an opportunity to know their challenges. As a matter of fact, we’ve just finished from South East. We are going to visit all the six geographical zones. We are in Southwest zone now. Next week, we are going to Northwest. So like I said, the essence is to showcase our automotive industry. In line with Nigeria First policy, we are telling Nigerians not to import but patronize made in Nigeria vehicles.

The programme is free of charge for stakeholders. The Federal Government is paying. Our happiness is that all the stakeholders are ready.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of SAGLEV Incorporated, a US-based company and also SAGLEV Electromobility Nigeria Limited, Dr. Samuel Faleye praised NADDC for promoting Electric Vehicle manufacturing in Nigeria.

Dr. Faleye, who described his relationship with NADDC as one with a long history, recalled that his company had been working with the council for over five years.

Despite the nations economic challenges, he pointed out, reviving Nigerias auto industry has always been paramount to the council. NADDC has really been pushing EV for a while.

“Apart from ensuring we are a certified assembler and inspected us when we started, anytime we have problem with Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC), they come to our aid. 

SAGLEV boss also extolled NADDC for supporting the nations auto industry through capacity building.

According to him, 80% of technicians working in SAGLEV EV assembly plant were products of NADDC capacity building scheme organized in collaboration with Automedics, a board member of the council.

He stated: For over eight years, Nigeria has got a curriculum for electric vehicle technician training, which was developed by Automedics, a company working with NADDC for capacity building. 

“For me, one of the biggest achievements of NADDC is promoting automotive components manufacturing in Nigeria, including leather upholstery. Come to think of it, we are manufacturing leather handbags, one of the best qualities in the world. There is no reason why we, therefore, cant produce upholstery for cars? So NADDC is involved in all of these?  

I’m telling you we are here because of the efforts of the council, investors had expressed intentions manufacture electric vehicles in Nigeria. But before we turned our back, we would hear they’d started it in Morocco.  

According to Dr. Faleye, before commencement of EV assembly six months ago, SAGLEV plant was certified by Donfeng, the OEM (Original Equipment manufacturer) Saglev represents.  

Donfeng certified that we are okay before we could start assembling, he stated, NADDC wrote us later that it’s time for people to know that electric vehicle assembly is happening in Nigeria

Dr. Faleye, therefore, appealed to Nigerians to, in line with the Nigeria First policy of the federal government, look inward for Electric Vehicles purchase instead of importing. 

Located in Ikorodu area of Lagos, Nigeria, SAGLEV EV assembly plant is sitting on over 8000 square meters landmass with a floor of 5000 square meters.

Also present at the event are representatives of four banks with core focus on renewable energy, partnering, to add value to the business and electric vehicles sustainability.