Emmanuel Uzim is a dynamic energy professional with over five years of experience driving digital innovation across the energy and clean technology sectors. He currently serves as Product Manager Software Solutions at Aurora Energy and previously worked as an Engineering Product Specialist at Mitsubishi Electric UK. He also held the position of Head of Digital Tools and Innovation at Bisedge Limited, a green logistics company focused on sustainable mobility in Africa. Uzim’s recent research at the University of Oxford drawing from hands-on experiences at BMW UK and Bisedge Nigeria developed a macroeconomic framework and open-access online tool to assess the national impact of vehicle electrification. In this interview with Iniobong Iwok, he spoke on the evolving electric mobility landscape in Africa and provided data-driven recommendations for policymakers on fiscal impacts, carbon taxation, and strategic interventions. Excerpts:
You once described Nigeria’s potential to become Africa’s Silicon Motor Valley. What are the top three policies or infrastructure priorities the government needs to implement in the next 12 months to move closer to that vision?
That vision is still very much alive, and I believe Nigeria can absolutely lead Africa’s EV revolution if we move with urgency.
First, the government must pass the long-awaited National Electric Mobility Policy.
This single step provides a framework that sets direction, offers investor clarity, and signals to the world that Nigeria is serious.
Second, we need to create a dedicated EV Infrastructure Investment Fund, possibly backed by both government and private players, to kickstart projects like battery swap depots and assembly plants.
Lastly, our grid needs attention. We’re currently losing around 40% of generated electricity due to inefficiencies. That’s a huge problem. If we want to power millions of electric vehicles, we need targeted micro-grid pilots, especially solar-based systems, in major cities.
Your Oxford-Strathclyde research uses the MaTCOR model. How can governments and businesses use real-time data from such tools to monitor progress and adjust EV policy?
MaTCOR was designed to help policymakers avoid flying blind. It’s a decision tool that uses economic and behavioural data to forecast how people and businesses respond to changes in EV policy.
Governments can use it to time incentives. For example, instead of giving a flat subsidy, you adjust it based on fuel prices, income groups, or EV adoption rates in specific cities.
It also helps identify where to place charging stations using transport heat maps. And for businesses, it enables them to see where the market is moving so they can adjust pricing, leasing, or expansion plans accordingly. It’s all about moving from policy guesswork to evidence-led action.
In one of your interviews, you estimated the impact of shifting to an all-electric motorcycle-taxi fleet on government revenues. How do you propose policymakers balance short-term tax losses with long-term climate and economic gains?
Yes, we estimated a potential ₦25 billion drop annually in tax revenues if fuel-based bikes are replaced by electric ones. But that’s only one side of the ledger. On the other hand, Nigeria spends hundreds of billions treating pollution-related illnesses.
According to the WHO, respiratory diseases linked to transport emissions cost us significantly more in the long run. Plus, electric mobility creates new tax bases in the value chain, such as software platforms, leasing companies, and digital charging services.
These can all be taxed more efficiently than the informal okada sector. The government could also launch a green mobility bond, backed by projected health and infrastructure savings, to finance the transition.
This is not just an economic shift; its a public health and development imperative. You’ve highlighted charging infrastructure and grid stability as major issues.
What public-private partnership (PPP) models can address both challenges?
Two PPP approaches stand out. One is a concession model, where private operators build charging stations on public land in exchange for a share of revenue. Think of it like toll gates but for electricity. The other is a co-investment model with electricity distribution companies.
For example, Ikeja Electric could partner with a startup to deploy solar-powered charging stations, sharing infrastructure and revenue.
There’s also huge potential in cooperative-owned energy hubs. Imagine local rider groups pooling funds to own and operate their own swap stations. This approach builds trust and local ownership, which is crucial in our context.
With companies like MAX.ng and new e-bus startups emerging, what ecosystem elements are still missing to make local EV manufacturing a reality in Nigeria?
A lot is happening, and that’s exciting. But we still lack three critical pieces. First is battery localisation. We have lithium reserves, especially in Nasarawa, but we don’t yet refine or assemble battery cells here.
That’s a priority.
Second, the component supply chain is extremely thin. We don’t produce things like motor controllers or inverters locally, we rely on imports.
Third, we need software development capacity. Most EVs now run on firmware and apps. During my time working with a leading Nigerian-based green mobility company, I was actively involved in building telematics software that offered clients real-time visibility and operational transparency.
Without Nigerian software teams building for diagnostics, fleet management, and safety, we’ll just be assembling hardware without the intelligence. We also need testing and certification labs so locally made EVs can meet safety standards.
You’ve proposed innovation zones for electric mobility. Can you paint a picture of what one of these zones might look like?
Absolutely. I imagine something like a Green Mobility Innovation Zone located near an industrial city like Abeokuta or Ibadan. It would be governed by a special purpose vehicle made up of government, private investors, and university partners.
Universities with core research focus on EVs, for instance, could anchor the and training arm. Funding would come from federal innovation funds, the African Development Bank, and equity from OEMs.
Inside this zone, you’d have battery recycling facilities, software development hubs, EV maintenance schools, and even test tracks.
Think of it as a focused ecosystem for building the next Innoson or MAX.ng, but powered by youth and data.
You’ve spoken about pay-as-you-go and lease-to-own EV models. What might a successful pilot in Lagos or Abuja look like today?
A great pilot would be to deploy 500 electric bikes for delivery riders in high-density zones like Yaba in Lagos or Garki in Abuja. Riders would pay a daily fee, say ₦5,000, that covers bike usage, insurance, and maintenance. After about 18 months, the bike becomes theirs.
The batteries would be swappable and managed through solar-powered depots. Fintech apps like Carbon or Opay could handle payments and credit scoring.
This model solves affordability, reduces fuel costs for riders, and gives real data to guide scale-up. We need something visible and replicable, and this ticks both boxes.
You’ve proposed different revenue substitutes to replace fuel-related taxes.
Which option is most politically viable, and how should those funds be used?
The most viable is a modest carbon levy on fuel importers, perhaps just ₦2 per litre. It’s less visible to consumers but generates large sums at scale. With that, we could create a ₦10 billion annual EV Transition Fund.
I would allocate 40% to electric buses in cities, 30% to rural charging infrastructure, 20% to university-led innovation grants, and 10% to scholarships and technician training. Transparency is key.
Let’s publish the fund’s usage quarterly and tie it to real outcomes, like kilometres of charging lines built or the number of mechanics retrained.
You’ve referenced global models like Shenzhen and Tesla. What is the one lesson Nigeria could apply within five years?
Shenzhen’s lesson is powerful; bulk procurement works. Their city-wide switch to electric buses was driven by government-backed tenders that helped manufacturers scale up.
Nigeria can do the same. Let’s issue a multi-state tender for 3,000 electric buses and tie it to local assembly. If states like Lagos, Kano, and Enugu come together with a shared procurement framework, supported by BOI or AfDB financing, we could kick-start a domestic EV manufacturing ecosystem faster than many expect.
Has any African country already built a strong EV policy framework that Nigeria could learn from?
Yes, Rwanda and Kenya are leading the way. They’ve removed all import duties and VAT on EVs, integrated battery swapping into national policy, and set up a Green Fund that co- finances pilot projects.
Their approach is coordinated, simple, and business-friendly. Nigeria can emulate that by aligning our ministries, simplifying our incentives, and setting clear national targets.
Beyond cost and emissions, what kind of social impact do you envision from Nigeria’s EV transition?
The impact could be transformative. We’re looking at over 100,000 new jobs – many of them in the informal sector where livelihoods are fragile. Imagine retraining vulcanizers and roadside mechanics to work on electric drivetrains.
Or building new opportunities in fleet software, solar energy servicing, and charging point management. The EV value chain is diverse, and it can absorb both skilled and unskilled labour. There also a gender impact.
With safer, easier-to-operate EVs, more women can enter ride-hailing or logistics, which are sectors they’ve historically been excluded from.
How do we ensure the EV transition reaches low-income commuters and tricycle operators in rural areas?
Inclusion starts with affordability and access. We should introduce tiered subsidies, where low-income areas get deeper discounts.
Secondly, we should retrofit existing tricycles with electric drivetrains, like what’s being done in Kenya. And most importantly, let’s build solar- powered community charging kiosks in rural areas.
These kiosks can power not just vehicles, but also phones and small appliances. That way, EVs become part of a broader rural development story.
If you could paint a picture of Nigeria in 2030 when it comes to EVs, what would you see?
By 2030, I see a Nigeria with 2 million electric motorcycles, 500,000 electric cars, and 100,000 electric buses on our roads. At least 15,000 public charging points, most powered by solar. I see Nigerian universities producing patented battery tech, and local startups exporting electric tricycles across West Africa.
In that Nigeria I envisage, the EV industry contributes to GDP, not just through products, but also through jobs, software, and innovation. It’s bold, but it’s possible if we move now.
What milestone in the next two years would convince you, and perhaps skeptics, that Nigeria’s EV journey is truly underway?
If within two years, we see 10,000 electric bikes actively in use across five states, supported by at least 1,000 functional charging points, I would say the journey is real. Add to that a working national EV registry and the first Nigerian-assembled battery pack, and there would be no doubt that Nigeria is not just participating in the global EV movement, but leading it on our own terms.
