By Moses Patience Chat
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has announced plans to install charging ports at its gas stations around the country to enable electric vehicles to be charged
This was revealed by the Managing Director of NNPC New Energy Limited, Kanayochukwu Odoe, in the most recent quarterly publication of NNPC Limited, which was released in Abuja on Monday.
The oil company also stated that it will invest in electric vehicles to suit local demand, and that NNPC Limited was now in discussions with a local company that is engaged in the business.
NNPC New Energy Limited is a subsidiary of Nigeria’s oil company. It is responsible for the development and promotion of renewables.
While giving his remarks on the plans of the Oil Firm in promoting the use of electric vehicles in Nigeria, Odoe said “there are two things we are looking at. There is a start-up from Maiduguri that is into renewables and electric vehicles. It’s a Nigerian start-up.
“We are currently discussing with them to expand their capacity to meet local demand in Nigeria. It’s something I believe we should invest in not just because it’s our own, but also because they are doing something that hasn’t been done before, at least, in this part of the world. So, when we invest in the Company, we can have a foothold in the electric vehicles market.
“The next part will be how to provide access to charging ports for the electric vehicles. We have NNPC Retail stations scattered around Nigeria, we are currently discussing how to install charging points in the stations to serve electric vehicles. These are some of the things we are doing in that area.”
Odoe further revealed that his firm was looking at embarking on solar projects to supply power to the masses, especially in areas where the services of power distribution companies were in short supply.
His words: “We are looking particularly at disadvantaged areas where the services of the electricity distribution companies are not present. We want to bridge that gap.
“Now, when we supply solar power to those disadvantaged areas, we will charge electricity bills. That’s something different that we are bringing on board that hasn’t been done before.
“On the second aspect of the policy, we are now charting a proper cause to streamline ways to meet our global obligations as stipulated in the treaties and conventions that the Government has committed.”