Federal Government plans to train 100,000 Nigerians in the local manufacture and assembly of CNG and electric vehicle infrastructure as Nigeria pushes to reduce transport costs and cut dependence on imported clean-energy systems.
Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the plan in Abuja, saying at least 1,000 people would be trained in each state, while selected trainees would receive further technical training in China. The programme also includes a partnership with Chinese firm New Power Technology to support local production.
FG Targets Local Growth In CNG And Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
The Federal Government says the training plan forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and its wider push to build CNG and electric vehicle infrastructure within Nigeria.
Shettima, represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, said the initiative would support the government’s move towards CNG-powered vehicles across public institutions. He said Nigeria’s young population gives the country a strong base to build technical capacity and replicate parts of China’s progress in cleaner transport.
The partnership with New Power Technology will focus on the local production and assembly of CNG dispensers, refuelling stations, EV charging points and related systems. The company’s delegation, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Liu Shihua, met with officials of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative and the Vice President’s office at the State House in Abuja.
Liu said the company wants to help Nigeria build a full electric vehicle ecosystem. This would include vehicle retrofitting, battery swapping networks, digital maintenance platforms and support for local training.
He also said New Power Technology plans to convert one million petrol-powered tricycles to electric tricycles within three years and set up 10,000 charging and battery-swapping stations. The company expects the plan to create up to 50,000 jobs if fully implemented.
Under the training arrangement, Chinese technical experts will come to Nigeria to support skills transfer and infrastructure development. Selected trainees will also receive fully funded training in China before returning as seed trainers.
Officials said the plan could lower transport costs, create jobs and support Nigeria’s clean transport transition. Executive Chairman of PCNGi, Ismaeel Ahmed, said the partnership could also improve livelihoods because transport takes up a major share of household income in the country.
