The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Israeli and Japanese companies to commence assembling and manufacturing of environmentally friendly, green, electric and smart automobiles by 2023.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) entered into partnership with the Israeli, Japanese and Nigerian companies on Thursday, in Abuja.
Isreali Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said that the partnership which was a combination of Israeli, Japanese and Nigerian technologies would help address the many challenges affecting the transport and environmental sectors in Nigeria.
“It is a project that is a partnership with Israeli, Japanese and Nigerian companies taking place in Nigeria.
“What is special about this project is that it is a timely project that combines Israeli technologies, Japanese technologies, Nigerian entrepreneurship and innovation together to create a project that is going to work fabulously.
“We are talking about bringing electronic Motorcycles into Nigeria which will be a programme that is green, environmentally friendly.
“It offers people a cheap way and safe way of transport and even has a technology to ensure that the motorcycles are only used for legal and appropriate purposes.
“When we look at what the problems are in the world and in also in Africa and in Nigeria, we are talking about issues of fuel scarcity, we are talking about green technology, we are talking about the need to provide cleaner, cheaper, easier transport.
‘And here we are, having Israeli and Japanese companies coming together with Nigerian partners to provide cleaner, greener, newer, exciting technology that is expected to move people, population across the country.
“I believe that a programme that is going to start in Nigeria will be successful and will go across Africa,” Freeman said.
Prof. Mohammed Haruna, Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI, lauded the collaboration which he said had come to stay and would be domesticated in the country.
Haruna said that this project Nigeria would see to the manufacturing of Nigerian made electrical vehicles in the nearest future.
Dr Ayal Raz, Representative of Israeli Company, Peramare Enterprise, said that against some perception, Nigeria was safe to invest. In his words,
“With this innovative idea, we believe is going to change so many things in the face of Nigeria.
“It will bring green energy which means cheaper cost of transport and we all know what that means for our people.
“It will give work to the people because it is industry, we are going to put a factory here, we will start with assembling then building. It will give us less pollution and greener air.
“Nigeria is safe to do business and by the special grace of God it is going to come during the first quarter of 2023, “ the Israeli Representative said.
Mr Sasi Shilo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SIXAI, and Japanese Partner said that his company beyond production is keen on supporting the African continent, Nigeria build a sustainable nation with clean and safe technologies.
“It is very exciting moment. We have been working in the automobile industry for about half a decade, we have certified plants in fourteen different countries.
“We really want to contribute to African nation with our technology. What we want to bring is not only to produce but what we want to achieve is to support the African nation to be sustainable.
“Through our products with safety and environmentally friendly features in our technology,” Sasi said.
NAN
