The Chairman of SAGLEV Electric Vehicle Assembly Plant, Dr. Gbenga Faleye, has affirmed the company’s commitment to driving electric mobility in Nigeria and across Africa, despite ongoing trade and infrastructure hurdles.
Faleye emphasised the company’s ethos of focusing on solutions rather than challenges. “If you’re an investor and you truly love this country, we invite you to focus on opportunities, not obstacles”, he stated during a recent briefing during the visit of the Honorable Minister of State for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole to the plant in Ikorodu, Lagos, last Wednesday.
The chairman spotlighted importation delays, citing issues such as misclassification of Harmonised System (HS) codes, underutilisation of digital clearance systems, and the bottleneck at Lagos ports. These have resulted in key shipments of Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) components sitting idle, stalling the assembly of customer-ordered vehicles.
“Currently, five containers of Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) EV parts remain stuck at the port, causing delivery delays to customers who’ve already placed orders”, he disclosed
Faleye called attention to the cost-efficiency and durability of electric vehicles. “Many Nigerians are unaware that EVs reduce maintenance costs by up to 60 per cent and eliminate the need for oil changes”, he noted. With just 40 moving parts compared to thousands in traditional vehicles, the reliability of EVs represents a game-changing shift.
Highlighting high consumer interest, he stressed the urgent need for government-led financing programmes and widespread charging infrastructure. “80 per cent of EV drivers will charge at home, but systems must be in place to support broader access”, he said.
SAGLEV is the official African partner of Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Asia’s second-largest auto manufacturer. The plant exclusively produces four-wheeled EVs and maintains stringent standards for after sales support, spare parts availability, and technician education. “We said we won’t go public, after sales must be there, parts must be there and we have the pedigree of having Dongfeng Motor Corporation as our partner.
“We’re not just building cars we’re building capacity, knowledge, and a new automotive identity for Africa,” Faleye concluded