The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to start funding institutions involved in the research and production of electric and solar cars.
It also advised the National Automotive Design and Development Council to design a workable plan on how to produce electric cars in commercial quantities in Nigeria, using homegrown human capital.
The House mandated its committees on Tertiary Education and Services; Land Transport; Environment; and Science and Technology to engage stakeholders to “design a 10–year action plan to improve the research capabilities of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions with the intent to improve the automobile industry.”
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by the lawmaker representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency in Lagos State at the House, Babajimi Benson, at the plenary on Wednesday.
Moving the motion titled ‘Need to Increase Funding for Innovation and Technology in Tertiary Education in Nigeria,’ Benson recalled that the Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria Nsukka, recently unveiled its first five-seater electric car, christened Lion Ozumba 551.
Benson noted that the car, which was said to be part of the drive to accord innovation and technology attention in the institution, was made with 80 percent locally–sourced materials and could cover a 30–kilometer distance when fully charged.
The lawmaker also recalled that in 2014, an undergraduate of the Faculty of Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Segun Oyeyiola, converted a Volkswagen Beetle into the wind and a solar-powered car.
Benson said, “The House is cognizant that, given the wanton environmental pollution and renewed campaign for a greener source of energy and transportation, any vehicle that is environmentally friendly and doesn’t emit toxic gases should be encouraged.
“The House is also cognizant that tertiary institutions are essential for the discovery, proper dissemination, and application of knowledge, and countries that prioritize research are usually more equipped to deal with new challenges and technological advances.
