Nigeria is pushing to accelerate electric vehicle adoption, but unreliable electricity supply and limited charging infrastructure are threatening to slow the country’s transition to cleaner transportation.
The government approved tax waivers for nearly 4,000 electric vehicles in the first half of 2026 as part of a programme aimed at encouraging EV adoption and local vehicle assembly. The initiative supports Nigeria’s 2022 Energy Transition Plan, which targets electric vehicles accounting for 60% of the country’s vehicle fleet by 2050.
However, Nigeria’s electricity system remains poorly equipped to support widespread EV adoption. The national grid supplies about 4,000 megawatts of electricity to a population of more than 200 million people, leaving households and businesses heavily dependent on diesel and petrol generators.
That dependence extends to the emerging EV industry. Charging stations, dealerships and battery-swapping businesses frequently rely on generators when grid electricity is unavailable, weakening some of the environmental benefits of switching from petrol-powered vehicles.
Nigeria had only about 48 public EV charging stations as of late 2025, most of them concentrated in Lagos and Abuja. By comparison, South Africa had more than 500 charging stations.
The lack of reliable charging infrastructure is also influencing the types of electric vehicles Nigerians are buying. Extended-range EVs, which combine battery power with a small fuel-powered generator, have gained popularity because they can continue operating when charging options are unavailable.
Sales of extended-range vehicles have reportedly doubled this year, according to industry executives. Chinese automakers including BYD and Geely are also expanding their presence in Nigeria with electric and hybrid models that are better suited to the country’s infrastructure limitations.
Electric motorcycles and three-wheelers may offer a more practical route to mass electrification in the short term. Nigeria has more than 15 million motorcycles, and riders have faced significantly higher operating costs since the removal of the petrol subsidy in 2023.
Industry operators say electric motorcycles and tricycles can reduce operating costs by about two-thirds compared with petrol-powered alternatives. Companies including MAX and Spiro are investing in battery-swapping networks that allow riders to exchange depleted batteries within minutes rather than wait for conventional charging.
The government has introduced other incentives, including a value-added tax exemption for EVs in 2024 and a reduction of import duties to zero this year from 5%. These measures have helped lower barriers to adoption but have not resolved the country’s electricity and charging constraints.
Nigeria’s EV transition therefore faces a fundamental infrastructure challenge. Without significant improvements in electricity generation, distribution and charging networks, the country may struggle to achieve its ambitious electrification targets even as demand for cleaner and cheaper transportation grows.
Emmanuel Abara Benson is a business journalist and editor covering artificial intelligence, global markets, and emerging technology.
He has previously worked with Business Insider Africa and Nairametrics, reporting on finance, startups, and innovation.
His work focuses on AI, digital economy, and global tech trends.
Djimon Hounsou (Benin)
Most Famous Movie: Blood Diamond (2006) or Amistad (1997)
Short Bio: Born in Cotonou, Benin, Djimon Hounsou moved to France at a young age. He began his career as a model before transitioning to acting. He’s known for his powerful and commanding presence on screen and has received Academy Award nominations for his roles in Amistad and Blood Diamond. He has also appeared in major Hollywood productions like Gladiator,
Guardians of the Galaxy, and Aquaman.
Wildcat Talent
Diary of an Englishman after he moves to South Africa….
**August 1**: Just got transferred with work from London, UK to our new home in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, South Africa. Now this is a town that knows how to live! Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings. I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday. It was beautiful. I’ve finally found my new home. I love it here.
**September 1:** Really heating up now. It got to 31 today. No problem though. Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this. I’m turning into a sun-worshipper – no blasted rain like back in London! Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today. Lots of palms and rocks. No more mowing lawns for me! Another scorcher today, but I love it here. It’s Paradise !
**October 1:** The temperature hasn’t been below 35 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least today it’s windy though. Keeps the flies off a bit. Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected. Fell asleep by the pool yesterday. Got third degree burns over 60% of my body. Missed three days off work. What a dumb thing to do. Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!
**October 25:** This wind is a bastard. It feels like a giant fucking blow dryer. And it’s hot as hell! The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged R200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from @#$# Johannesburg. The wife & the kids are complaining.
**October 30:** The temperature’s up around 40 and the parts still haven’t arrived for the fucking air conditioner. House is an oven so we’ve all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. Bleeding R4 million house and we can’t even go inside. Why the hell did I ever come here?
**November 4:** Finally got the fucking air-conditioner fixed. It cost R1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 35 degrees. Stupid repairman. Fucking thief. If one more smart bastard says ‘Hot enough for you today?’ I’m going to fucking throttle him. Fucking heat! By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my fucking clothes are soaking fucking wet and I smell like baked cat. Fucking place is the end of the Earth.
**November 9:** Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car. I thought my fucking backside was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my fucking behind. Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried bum and baked cat. The Weather report might as well be a fucking recording – hot and sunny. Hot and sunny, Hot and fucking sunny. It’s been too hot to do anything for 2 bleeding months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Fuck!!
**November 15:** Doesn’t it ever rain in this darn place? Water restrictions will be next, so my R5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the fucking pool. The only things that thrive in this hell-hole are the fucking flies. You don’t dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little buzzards!
**November 20:** Welcome to HELL! It got to 45 degrees today. Now the air conditioner is gone in my car. The repair man came to fix it and said, ‘Hot enough for you today?’ I wanted to shove the car up his backside. Anyway, had to spend the R2,500 of the mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid fool. Fucking PHALABORWA! What kind of sick, demented idiot would want to live here!
**December 1:** WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!!
You are fucking kidding me, right?
High Heel Goddess
South Africa is such a great country and an African Sunset is on my bucket list, do you have any accommodation and/or tour recommendations for the Cape Town Area?