Electric Vehicles From China Coming, Details Here

The next interesting scenario you may encounter, is that of electric vehicles from China flooding our country.

The interesting thing however is that they would be produced here in Nigeria, if indications from the Federal Government is anything to go by.

These emerged yesterday in the course of a courtesy visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake by Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai.

Dunhai, harped on the imperative of enhanced collaboration between China and Nigeria in unlocking the potential of Nigeria’s Solid Minerals sector through the establishment of electric vehicle factories in Nigeria.

According to a statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, China indicated its interest to establish electric vehicle factories in Nigeria.

The ambassador said Nigeria is a great country blessed with tremendous natural resources, noting that China has always placed Nigeria in a very pivotal position in its foreign policy.

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The statement referenced Ambassador Dunhai as noting that Presidents Bola Tinubu and China leader, Xi Jinping had, during Tinubu’s state visit to China agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, creating new opportunities for cooperation.

It added that in his address, Alake reiterated Nigeria’s openness to serious investors, stressing that investments in the nation’s mining industry are now focused on local value addition.

“For years, our minerals have been exported raw to fuel foreign industrialisation. That must change.”

“We now prioritise local processing to drive Nigeria’s development.

“For instance, with the abundance of lithium, we want to see local manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries,” he said.

He urged the ambassador to encourage Chinese investors to commit to full-cycle investments, from extraction to processing, within Nigeria, pointing out the large market and the potential to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through production of electric vehicles from China.

Responding, Ambassador Dunhai expressed support for Nigeria’s local value-addition policy, pointing out that one of President Xi Jinping’s key priorities is promoting African industrialisation.

“Plans are underway to establish electric vehicle factories and other manufacturing ventures in Nigeria.

“Chinese companies are already deeply involved in Nigeria’s mining sector, from exploration to processing.

“We aim to deepen this collaboration, especially in line with President Tinubu’s eight priority areas, notably economic diversification through solid minerals,” he added.

It implies then that Nigerians may indeed watch out for electric vehicles from China, if not in whole components, but prototype form.