Nigeria Bets on Homegrown EV Industry as EMVC, Offa Polytechnic Seal Landmark Manufacturing Pact

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Nigeria has taken a significant step towards building a homegrown electric vehicle (EV) industry, with indigenous manufacturer, Electric Motor Vehicle Company (EMVC), and the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, entering into a landmark partnership that could reshape the country’s automotive manufacturing landscape and create a pipeline of skilled engineers for the clean energy economy.

The collaboration, the first between a Nigerian-owned electric vehicle manufacturer and a polytechnic, comes at a time when Africa’s largest economy is seeking to diversify away from oil dependence, deepen local manufacturing, and reduce its heavy reliance on imported vehicles and automotive components.

Beyond producing electric vehicles, the partnership is designed to address one of Nigeria’s biggest industrial challenges—developing the technical workforce and research capacity required to sustain an indigenous automotive industry.

Under the agreement, EMVC and the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, will jointly design and develop electric vehicles suited to Nigeria’s terrain, conduct research on battery technology, including battery cell assembly and battery management systems, and promote local sourcing and fabrication of components.

The institutions also planned to establish a Centre of Excellence in Electric Mobility at the polytechnic, develop specialised curricula in electric vehicle engineering and renewable energy systems, create internship and apprenticeship programmes, and deploy charging infrastructure on campus.

The initiative is expected to expose students to real-world engineering and manufacturing while encouraging innovation, patent development, and entrepreneurship in the emerging electric mobility sector.

Speaking on the partnership, EMVC Chief Executive Officer, Prince Mustapha Mona Audu, said Nigeria’s ambition to become an electric vehicle manufacturing hub would depend as much on developing skilled manpower as expanding production capacity.

Audu said the partnership reflected the company’s commitment to investing in people, knowledge, and technologies tailored to local conditions.

He added that the collaboration would help train a new generation of engineers and technicians capable of sustaining Nigeria’s electric vehicle industry.

Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Dr. Kadiri Oluwatoyin, described the agreement as a strategic alignment of technical education with the country’s emerging clean energy economy.

Oluwatoyin stated that students would gain practical exposure to engineering, manufacturing, and innovation.

The partnership comes as governments around the world accelerate the transition from petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to electric mobility in response to climate change, rising fuel costs, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Nigeria has in recent years introduced policies to encourage local automobile manufacturing and alternative energy transportation. However, the country still imports the overwhelming majority of its vehicles, while local assembly plants depend heavily on imported components.

Industry experts argue that the absence of indigenous research, battery technology, and skilled manpower has slowed the growth of Nigeria’s automotive sector despite the country’s vast market.

Electric vehicles are increasingly viewed as a strategic opportunity for Nigeria, particularly as the country seeks to leverage its deposits of lithium and other critical minerals used in battery production, while expanding renewable energy and reducing dependence on imported petroleum products.

If successfully implemented, the EMVC-Offa Polytechnic partnership could serve as a model for closer collaboration between industry and tertiary institutions, helping Nigeria develop the research, innovation, and skilled workforce needed to compete in Africa’s emerging electric vehicle market and move from being largely an importer of automotive technology to a producer of clean mobility solutions.