Nigeria recorded an estimated 400% increase in electric vehicle (EV) adoption between 2020 and 2025. Data from February 2026 indicates that approximately 80% of current EV owners rely on home or workplace charging solutions, bypassing the need for a robust public network.
This shift is driven by the fact that most EVs used for urban commutes deliver a range of 280km to 420km per charge, which sufficiently covers typical daily travel in cities like Lagos.
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Market demand has transitioned from non-existent five years ago to high interest in 2026. This surge is fueled by petrol prices reaching ₦700–₦1,000 per liter and the lower maintenance costs of EVs, which lack oil changes and complex engine components. Currently, over 90% of imported EVs in Nigeria utilize the GBT charging standard common in Chinese vehicles.
Government and private sector initiatives are moving to address the infrastructure gap. The 2025 Electric Vehicle Transition and Green Mobility Bill mandates that fuel stations install EV charging points, supported by tax credits and grants.
LUG West Africa has announced plans to deploy over 250 charging points across Lagos State in 2026, integrating solar-powered street lighting with vehicle charging.
Strategic partnerships are expanding local capacity. In January 2025, an agreement was signed with South Korea’s AEDC to establish an EV assembly plant.
Current local assemblers like Jet Motor Company and SAGLEV are producing vehicles specifically for the Nigerian market, with prices for compact pure EV sedans ranging from ₦12 million to ₦22 million.
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Despite this momentum, significant barriers remain. These include an unreliable national grid, high upfront purchase costs, and the 30% interest rates on vehicle financing.
Industry experts emphasize that the next phase of growth depends on moving from experimentation to structured incentives and the standardization of charging protocols to secure investor confidence.
Image Credit: Nairametrics
Source : Nairametrics
