Oando Clean Energy Limited, OCEL, has taken delivery of the first electric mass transit buses that will kick off the Proof of Concept phase of its Sustainable Transport Initiative.
This is in line with its strategic vision to decarbonize the transport system in Nigeria, starting in Lagos State and eventually across the country.
OCEL, in partnership with Yutong Bus Co Limited, the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, has produced the electric buses equipped with air conditioning and Wi-Fi.
The company has also taken delivery of the charging stations and spare parts necessary to ensure the effective operation of the electric buses.
The arrival of these electric buses marks the commencement of OCEL’s Sustainable Transport Initiative, which is one of the company’s pipeline projects to support Nigeria in meeting her goal of net zero by 2060.
Commenting, the Chairman, OCEL, Adewale Tinubu, said: “Audacity and innovation have always been key tenets in our journey to transform Nigeria’s energy future. It’s this spirit that has brought us to this juncture today – at the forefront of propelling Nigeria towards realizing her net-zero targets. The arrival of our electric mass transit buses and development of an EV infrastructure ecosystem is a reminder that the only way to remain ahead of the curve is by being unafraid to break new ground and consistently looking for opportunities to leapfrog. Furthermore, this project underscores the African saying, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.’ Public-Private Partnerships have been critical to getting the project to this point and will continue to fuel our expansion across the entire country. I must commend the collaborative efforts of the Lagos State Government through LAMATA in seeing this project through.”
According to the company’s strategic vision, the Sustainable Transport Initiative will transition the current combustion mass transit buses to electric over the next seven years, with the rollout of over 12,000 buses, and will eventually lead to improved air quality, enhanced public health, enable the employment of at least 3,000 new drivers, and an additional 2,000 workers to support bus maintenance, depot management, etc. as well as estimated economic cost savings of US$2.6bn (3.6% of Lagos’s GDP). The company’s EV roll-out plan is strategically aligned with the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan (NETP) and will support the Government’s roadmap for EV implementation across Nigeria and its ambition to boost local capacity in the medium term through the construction of EV assembly plants.
Mr. Frank Lee, Managing Director, Yutong West Africa, said: “This is a watershed moment for Yutong. It’s our first delivery of electric mass transit buses in Sub-Saharan Africa and the first step in the large-scale deployment of an electric powered public road transport system in Nigeria. We are excited to be embarking on this journey in partnership with Oando, an organization with a history of stellar performance in the energy sector and are hopeful to see a quick turnaround in our joint plans to advance all facets of the country’s transition to eco-friendly vehicles, including the development of local capacity through the delivery of, and exposure to extensive training programs for all stakeholders, from drivers to operators and the regulators. Our foray into Sub-Saharan Africa has transformed us into a global supplier of EVs with customers across the Middle East, Europe, South America, and Asia. Our electric vehicles offer outstanding performance due to their advanced technology capabilities and testing for different terrains; all of which make our buses particularly well-suited for use as a public transportation option in Nigeria”.
