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By Moses Akaigwe
The Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) Mr. Jelani Aliyu, has called for the introduction of advanced internet-enabled technology in Nigeria’s rural areas.
A statement from the council said on Friday in Abuja that Mr Aliyu, made the call while speaking at the Nigerian-Korean Business Summit on Wednesday in Seoul, South Korea.
According to the Director General who spoke on the theme: ‘Advanced Technology for a New Nigerian Human Experience’, drones should be deployed for logistics and healthcare, including 100 per cent renewable energy mini-grids, satellite connected educational networks.
Aliyu said: “A majority of our people still live in rural areas and through decentralized development, their lives can be enhanced right where they are so that there is no need for them to migrate to the cities.
”Actually, I believe there is a need to introduce super-advanced internet-enabled technology to all our rural areas, drones for logistics and healthcare, 100 per cent renewable energy mini-grids, satellite connected educational networks.”
He suggested partnership with some Korean companies to produce more electric vehicles in Nigeria.
“With the advanced capabilities in the Korean automotive industry, what can we do together in Nigeria, how do we work together to scale up the production of Nigeria relevant Electric Vehicles?
“The NADDC has built 18 automotive training centres across Nigeria, where we can partner with potential Korean companies for training in EV Technology,” Mr Aliyu added.
The DG further said that there was an exciting opportunity for Nigeria and Korea, to work together through highly efficient hardware and software, to enable these super solutions for the Nigerians.
“The future is bright, and together our two nations can develop solutions that can be manufactured and deployed in Nigeria to lift millions into abundance, peace and prosperity.
“NADDC has encouraged and supported both local and multinational automotive companies to start producing EVs in Nigeria.
“As a result of that, Hyundai Nigeria has started the assembly of the Hyundai Kona EV, Jet Systems Motors has deployed the Jet Systems Electric Van, and Max-e has developed an electric motorcycle that has been tested and proven in rural Nigeria,” Mr Aliyu said.
While disclosing that the agency had developed 100 per cent solar-powered EV charging stations as pilot projects, the NADDC boss said: “This is to prove that you can power e-mobility completely off grid. We put them up at three universities, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, University of Lagos and University of Nigeria, Nsukka.”
