By Nancy Okojie,
The global electric vehicle (EV) market has seen explosive growth over the past decade, with major players like BYD, Tesla, and VW Group leading the charge.
In 2023, Chinese conglomerate, BYD, manufactured the most EVs (3 million), while America’s Tesla followed closely with 1.8 million EVs
Nigeria is quickly positioning itself as a hub for electric vehicle (EV) assembly in West Africa, driven by both government policy and private-sector ambition. Several pioneering companies are establishing local assembly plants, aiming to leverage Nigeria’s large market and reduce reliance on imported fossil-fuel vehicles.
As the global automotive industry rapidly shifts toward electric vehicles (EVs) and as countries seek to reduce carbon emissions and meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, Nigeria joins in despite faced with economic and infrastructural constraints.
This is a major shift toward sustainable transportation and are backed by visionary entrepreneurs and partnerships.
The surge in local EV assembly is not accidental. It’s largely fueled by Nigeria’s National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) policy, which offers:
Tax Incentives: Zero duty and low tariffs on imported completely knocked-down (CKD) parts for local assembly.
Government Support: Encouragement for pilot programs, like the installation of solar-powered charging stations in key cities.
Leading EV Assemblers and Their Owners
The following companies are at the forefront of the electric mobility transition in Nigeria, assembling or manufacturing electric vehicles locally:
10. Elizade Nigeria Limited (Elizade Auto Land)
Owner/Key Driver: Chief Michael Ade-Ojo (Founder of Elizade Group)
Elizade is capitalizing on the high demand for durable commercial vehicles by introducing electric alternatives, targeting fleet owners and logistics companies looking to cut operational costs.
Significance: Toyota and JAC Electric Vehicles. While primarily known for Toyota, Elizade has diversified by assembling electric vehicles under other franchises, notably the JAC Electric Buses and light trucks. The company leverages its decades of experience in the Nigerian auto industry to drive EV adoption.
9. CIG Motors
Owner/Key Driver: Chief Diana Chen, a graduate of Peking University HSBC Business School, leads CIG Motors, the Nigerian subsidiary of the Choice International Group (CIG). She founded CIG 23 years ago, leveraging extensive expertise in African markets and international trade to drive electric mobility initiatives in Nigeria.
Significance: CIG Motors secured a joint venture with the Lagos State Government to set up an assembly plant in Lagos for EVs and implement the LAGRIDE smart taxi initiative. The company assembles complete knock-down (CKD) electric vehicles and maintains service facilities in Lagos and Abuja. Its EV lineup includes the Wuling Bingo, the Macaron Mini EV, and the YEP E260S. These vehicles are part of ongoing plans to expand Lagos’s EV fleet, with over 3,000 EVs expected in the next three years, including 100 added to LAGRIDE in September 2025.
Beyond EVs, CIG Motors also represents leading Chinese automotive brands in Nigeria, including GAC Motors, JMC Motors, Dongfeng Motors, FAW Group, and Wuling Motors, assembling and distributing sedans, SUVs, trucks, and intracity three- and four-wheelers to meet local demand.
8. Jet Motor Company (JET Motors)
Owner/Key Driver: Chidi Ajaere (Founder and Chairman of GIG Group)
Focus: Electric Minibuses and Vans. JET Motors is arguably the most prominent local EV assembler. They rolled out the Jet Mover, a purely electric commercial minibus, designed for Nigerian roads and conditions. The company operates its assembly plant in Lagos. Their strategy centers on electrifying public and commercial transport, where the impact on emissions and fuel savings is highest.
Significance: JET Motors has demonstrated the technical viability of assembling electric vehicles locally and is a leading advocate for the adoption of green transport solutions by logistics companies and transport agencies.
7. Hyundai Motors Nigeria (Stallion Group)
Owner/Key Driver: Sunil Vaswani is the Chairman of the Stallion Group, under which Stallion Group Nigeria operates. A British and Nigerian citizen, Vaswani was born in India, grew up in Nigeria, and studied economics and accounting in London. He currently resides in Dubai’s upscale Emirates Hills.
Significance: Electric Sedans and SUVs. Stallion Group, a major player in Nigeria’s automotive sector, has partnered with Hyundai to begin assembling electric models locally. Their plant in Lagos has commenced the assembly of vehicles like the Hyundai Kona EV.
Stallion Group Nigeria assembled and unveiled the Hyundai KONA Electric in 2021, making it one of the first electric vehicles introduced into the Nigerian market. The 64 kWh version can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds, features adjustable regenerative braking for energy efficiency, and has a modern interior with a center console and shift-by-wire controls.
In addition to EVs, Stallion Group Nigeria assembles and distributes a broad range of vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, trucks, buses, and intracity three- and four-wheelers such as the Bajaj RE. The company represents several global brands, including Hyundai, Honda, Nissan, Changan, Ashok Leyland, and Morris Garages.
6. Roxette Motors
Owner/Key Driver: Kelechi Orji is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Roxette Motors, a subsidiary of the Roxettes Group. An architect by training, Orji earned his BSc, Master’s, and PhD degrees in Architecture from Abia State University.
Significance: Roxette Motors operates a factory at the Eco-Drives Green Metropolis in Obuaku Industrial City Free Trade Zone, Abia State, where it assembles electric vehicles as well as petrol-powered, compressed natural gas (CNG), and hybrid vehicles. Its portfolio covers saloon cars, SUVs, pickups, compact and subcompact cars, luxury cars, and transit buses.
The EV models include the Blaze X, an electric pickup, and the Lumen-vx7, an electric SUV. Roxette has also established dedicated charging stations in Lagos, Enugu, Imo, Anambra, and Abia States to support adoption.
5. Siltech
Owner/Key Driver: Tolu Williams, founder of Siltech, is a Nigerian entrepreneur shaping the country’s electric mobility space. A lawyer by training, Williams earned his law degree from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom before completing his legal education at law school. He later broadened his business expertise with a programme in Creative Business Enterprise at the Lagos Business School.
His early education took place at Atlantic Hall School, Corona Schools, and The Grange School in Nigeria. He also obtained the Irish Leaving Certificate from St. Columba’s College in Dublin, Ireland before advancing to university.
Williams has built over a decade of experience in electric mobility across Africa. He worked with MAX, serving as Head of E-Mobility in Nigeria and later as Electric Vehicle Lead in Ghana, before directing his efforts toward expanding Siltech.
Significance: Siltech operates as an electric mobility ecosystem company in Nigeria, assembling batteries and electric vehicles, while also providing consultancy and after-sales services. Its product range covers two- and three-wheel electric vehicles and quads, with models such as the E Skyline X, the E Hyder, and electric wheelchairs.
4. Electric Motor Vehicle Company (EMVC)
Owner/Key Driver: Prince Mustapha Audu is the Chief Executive Officer of the Electric Motor Vehicle Company (EMVC), an indigenous Nigerian automaker that assembles both electric and hybrid vehicles in Nigeria as part of its mission to deliver sustainable mobility solutions. He is the son of the late Prince Abubakar Audu, former governor of Kogi State, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computing Science from the University of Glasgow.
Headquartered along the Abuja–Lokoja Expressway in Gwagwalada.
Significance: EMVC entered the electric vehicle market in 2022 with the launch of its first models — the Adoja M1 electric tricycle and the Adoja M2 electric car. Since then, the company’s product line has expanded to include electric motorcycles, tricycles, small cargo vehicles, and cars, with some units featuring solar panels or tracking systems as optional add-ons.
Among its products, the Adoja car delivers a range of 125 to 250 kilometres per charge with a maximum speed of 60 kilometres per hour. The Bama motorcycle can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour. The Igwe and Obong three-wheelers cover between 125 and 200 kilometres per charge, with top speeds of 50 and 40 kilometres per hour, respectively.
In 2025, EMVC partnered with the Nasarawa State Government to roll out a mix of its vehicles, including Igwe three-wheelers for economic empowerment and entrepreneurship programmes, Adoja Mini sedans for ride-hailing services, and electric SUVs for official use by state officials.
3. Jet Systems
Owner/Key Driver: Chidi Ajaere, founder of Jet Systems Automobile, is part of a new wave of entrepreneurs pushing electric mobility in Nigeria. He is the son of the late Edwin Ajaere, who founded God is Good Motors (GIGM), one of the country’s leading intercity transport companies.
Ajaere studied at Covenant University in Ogun State before furthering his education at Niagara College in Canada and Griffith University in Australia. After his father’s death, he returned to Nigeria to lead the family business, becoming Executive Chairman of GIGM. He also founded GIG Logistics in 2012, expanding it into Ghana, the United States, and China.
Significance: In 2018, Ajaere established Jet Systems Automobile, a Nigerian EV manufacturer providing locally assembled electric vehicles in Nigeria for public and commercial transport. The company also produces compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles at its Sangotedo assembly plant, located at KM 46, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos. The plant has an estimated annual capacity of 5,000 vehicles, with plans for expansion.
Jet Systems’ product lineup includes 14-seater electric buses, electric ambulances, and electric vans, designed to serve the needs of both public transportation and logistics sectors. The company has also partnered with the Delta State Government to roll out EVs for mass transit and build solar-powered charging stations across the state.
2. Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM)
Owner/Key Driver: Chief Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma, born on October 1, 1961, is the founder of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM), regarded as Nigeria’s first indigenous automobile company. He established the firm in 2007 after decades of experience in motorcycle parts trading and plastics manufacturing. By late 2014, the company had rolled out its first locally assembled cars, marking a milestone in Nigeria’s automotive sector.
Significance: Innoson entered the electric vehicle market in September 2024, and since then its EV products have expanded to include four top models. These are the IVM Link, a five-seater with a driving range of 201–230 kilometres on a full charge; the IVM EX01, which also offers a 201–230 kilometre range and is designed for daily commuting; and the IVM EX02, the flagship model capable of travelling 330–400 kilometres per charge. A lower-priced version of the EX02 is also available, maintaining the same range while offering a more affordable entry point. All of these vehicles are assembled in Nigeria.
Alongside its EV push, Innoson continues to assemble internal combustion engine vehicles, covering sedans, SUVs, minibuses, pickup trucks, and specialised vehicles such as ambulances and waste compactors.
1. SAGLEV
Owner/Key Driver: Dr. Sam Faleye is the Chairman and CEO of SAGLEV Inc., a Delaware-based EV company that operates in Nigeria through its subsidiary, Saglev Electromobility. The subsidiary has been in Nigeria for five years, with actual assembly of electric vehicles in December 2023 at its Imota, Ikorodu plant.
Dr. Faleye studied medicine at the University of Ilorin, trained in Internal Medicine at Howard University Hospital, and earned a Master’s in Informatics from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He has been Board-certified in Internal Medicine since 1998 and became a Fellow of the American College of Physicians in 2005.
With subsidiaries in Nigeria and Ghana, SAGLEV is one of the early indigenous-led ventures driving EV adoption in West Africa.
Significance: The facility, approved by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), is dedicated to EV assembly in sub-Saharan Africa. It handles SKD and CKD production and currently supports 16 EV models — about 20% for private use (sedans, SUVs) and the rest for logistics, corporate fleets, and public transport.
Through its partnership with Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Saglev has rolled out products such as the VOYAH luxury series, the R6 pickup, the M-HERO 917 SUV, and electric BRT buses. The Imota plant has a starting capacity of 2,500 units a year, expandable to 10,000 units, while the company is also investing in charging infrastructure to ease adoption barriers.
