Nigerian renewable energy firm Oanda Clean Energy (OCEL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with government agency, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), to work together in planning, implementing, regulating and managing a sustainable and integrated public transportation system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while fueling economic growth.
OCEL and LAMATA will kickstart their collaboration with the development of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for mass transit busses as part of efforts by the Nigerian government to exploit renewable energy resources to mitigate climate change in Africa’s most populous city.
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“With an understanding that transportation is a key emitter of greenhouse gases in Nigeria, we developed a strategy to cut greenhouse gases by 50%. A key component of this strategy was identifying and developing a more robust mass transit system for Lagos that would include rail and waterways amongst others. Using electricity to power mass transit is a step in the right direction, and from there we would gradually transit to private cars,” said Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, Commissioner for Transportation, Lagos State.
With the transport sector accounting for between 23% and 30% of Lagos’ annual emissions, electrifying the transport system will enable the Nigerian capital to achieve its 2050 net-zero climate mitigation target as a signatory of the United Nations Race to Zero campaign.
Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, Managing Director, LAMATA, added that “We began this journey late last year, and for us, this has been a rapid development. Oando Clean Energy came to us with a comprehensive solution that went beyond electric mass transit buses to include supporting infrastructure, and this was key for us, as the full remit of an EV support ecosystem is the only way to achieve success.”
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Adewale Tinubu, the Chairman of OCEL reiterated that the MoU forms efforts by his firm to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix and enable the country’s industrialization to reach its full potential through public-private partnerships, stating that “…we remain dedicated to achieving our national commitment to net-zero by 2060, ending energy deficiencies and further propelling the country to an industrialized phase through decentralized and sustainable energy systems.”
