The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) on Thursday 17th August 2023 commissioned a 100% Solar-powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).
The pilot project is the initiative of the NADDC under the EV development project as incorporated in the new 2023 National Automotive Industry Development Plan.
Speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof. Charles Arizechukwu Igwe applauded the Management of NADDC for the land mark achievement.
He said “I am delighted that UNN is among the Universities chosen to be part of the NADDC EV Pilot programme. UNN will always support and be the first on EV development in Nigeria”.
He charged relevant authorities in the University to be more practical oriented and fully key into the Vehicle Electrification programme of NADDC for the benefit of the university and humanity in general.
Prof. Charles Igwe also stressed on the need for relevant stakeholders to bridge the gap between energy production and productivity by building Solar Energy farms as renewable sources of energy generation in Nigeria.
Earlier in his speech, the Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr Jelani Aliyu, MFR, ably represented by the Director Industrial Infrastructure Department of the Council, Dr Nua Omisanya stated that the Solar-Powered EV charging Station at UNN is one of the three (3) EV pilot programmes of the NADDC aimed at developing research work in the area of vehicle electrification through human capital development.
“In furtherance to the Council’s bid to promote the research, design and adoption of EVs, the Council has developed three (3) 15KVA Solar-powered EV charging Stations at three (3) Federal Institutions; University of Lagos, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka”.
The Director General however encouraged the University to utilise the opportunity by stimulating further research and development of EVs in Nigeria adding that charging stations at UDUS and UNILAG had already been commissioned for the same purpose.
“With the emergence of new automotive technologies, the global automotive industry is in a race of technological advancement, and the Nigerian Automotive Industry cannot be left out, but must be at the forefront of the race”.
In the same vein, he urged the general public to embrace Electric Vehicles as a greener and alternative means of transportation in Nigeria.
The University Team led by the Vice Chancellor thereafter test-drove the Hyundai Kona EV car deployed by the NADDC as part of the project.
Other dignitaries at the event were the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, UNN, Chairman NADDC-UNN Centre for Electric Vehicle Research and Development, Prof. Ozoemena Ani, Deputy Director incharge of NADDC Zonal Offices, Mrs Susan Bisong-Taiwo, NADDC South East Zonal Coordinator, Edith Oleribe, as well as other critical stakeholders.
