L
LequteMan
Guest
Nigeria's Senator Ben Murray Bruce has stated that Nigeria will experience a rude shock in 8 years if it doesn't diversify away from oil.
He said the country is already becoming a dumping ground for petrol-dependent cars which doesn't bode well for Nigeria.
He then proposed that government develop an auto policy (which he'll like to submit), that'll state that only electric car plants be established in the country. He said the policy will also ensure that trains and other transport machinery run on non-fossil fuels.
Ben Bruce's suggestion is a good one, but it's coming at the wrong time. Nigeria currently doesn't have enough electricity supply to cater for its basic needs, not to talk of some for the upcoming fleet of electric cars.
In addition to this, electric cars are very expensive. The cheapest electric car start from around $40,000 (that's about 15 million naira give or take) and aren't easy to maintain, especially with the road system in the country.
It will be hard finding investors who will be willing to throw up cash into this area, given the present condition of the country. Also, only the elites and upper echelon will be able to afford this car - the majority of Nigerians earn less than 1 million per year. Where's the market?
Nigeria is still grappling with political and ethnic instability as well as widespread poverty and infrastructure inadequacy. We need to find a solution to the underlying problems of the country first before ideas like Ben Bruce's can be implemented.
He said the country is already becoming a dumping ground for petrol-dependent cars which doesn't bode well for Nigeria.
He then proposed that government develop an auto policy (which he'll like to submit), that'll state that only electric car plants be established in the country. He said the policy will also ensure that trains and other transport machinery run on non-fossil fuels.
Ben Bruce's suggestion is a good one, but it's coming at the wrong time. Nigeria currently doesn't have enough electricity supply to cater for its basic needs, not to talk of some for the upcoming fleet of electric cars.
In addition to this, electric cars are very expensive. The cheapest electric car start from around $40,000 (that's about 15 million naira give or take) and aren't easy to maintain, especially with the road system in the country.
It will be hard finding investors who will be willing to throw up cash into this area, given the present condition of the country. Also, only the elites and upper echelon will be able to afford this car - the majority of Nigerians earn less than 1 million per year. Where's the market?
Nigeria is still grappling with political and ethnic instability as well as widespread poverty and infrastructure inadequacy. We need to find a solution to the underlying problems of the country first before ideas like Ben Bruce's can be implemented.
