Sokoto, a city better known for its deep Islamic scholarship and blazing sun than for high-tech innovation, recently became the backdrop for something extraordinary, something that stirred an old part of me back to life.
As a boy, I once dreamt of building a car. That dream was eventually buried beneath the weight of growing up. Life happened. Responsibilities took over. But in the most unexpected of ways, that dream has been rekindled — not by engineers in Europe or executives in Silicon Valley, but by a group of teenagers from northern Nigeria.
Meet the teenagers who built an electric vehicle
Fifteen students — ten girls and five boys — from Brilliant Footsteps International Academy, supported by Brilliant Maglush Tahafiz, designed and built a functioning electric vehicle. Yes, a real car. One that runs. One that they built themselves.
I visited one of their modest campuses in Sokoto. The moment I laid eyes on the small, sleek car humming quietly in the courtyard, I was intrigued. But what truly captured me was not the machine — it was the energy, confidence, and intelligence radiating from the students.
One of them, Ayman Shadi, walked me through the process: how the team came up with the idea, developed the electrical framework, and assembled mechanical components — many of which were locally sourced or repurposed. It took months of hands-on work, but the result? A working electric car, built by teenagers in a northern Nigerian classroom.
I asked about the battery life.
“Four hours of full charge gives it a smooth drive,” Ayman said with a proud smile. “We’re working on increasing the range.”
Girls Leading the Charge
One of the most powerful aspects of the project was the strong presence of female students. They weren’t just supporting the effort — they were leading it. Girls were the engineers, coders, and designers behind key elements of the vehicle.
One student put it simply:
“We want to show that girls can build too. Technology is not just for boys.”
In a region where gender roles can be rigid and limiting, that statement felt like a quiet revolution. These girls were not just building a car; they were dismantling outdated beliefs and setting new standards for what is possible for young women in science, tech, and innovation.
Building Minds, Not Just Machines
Dr. Shadi Sabey, the Managing Director of the academy, described the project as more than an engineering feat. For him, it’s about changing mindsets.
“They used local materials. They solved real problems. This isn’t about copying; it’s about creating,” he told me. “What you’re seeing here is a paradigm shift — proof that innovation can emerge from places the world doesn’t usually look.”
More Than a Car
As I watched these students demonstrate their work, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own childhood dreams. Once, I had imagined building something like this. While life took me on a different path, that same dream has found a second wind — through the hands and hearts of these remarkable students.
Their car may not yet be ready for commercial production, but it’s already doing something just as powerful: it’s inspiring hope. In a time when the headlines are often filled with despair, insecurity, and economic uncertainty, these young innovators offer a new kind of story — one of possibility, progress, and promise.
A Call to Action
I won’t make the usual call for government support. Instead, I’m appealing to private individuals — philanthropists, entrepreneurs, visionaries. These students have shown what’s possible. What they need now is support to scale. Not as charity, but as an investment in the future.
Their electric car is more than a project. It’s a symbol. A whisper of what’s possible when young people are trusted, supported, and inspired. And it’s a powerful reminder that even in under-resourced corners of the world, brilliance can thrive.
By Usman Mohammed Binji
