In response to Nigeria’s ongoing fuel scarcity, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) has committed to deploying 10,000 solar-powered tricycles, taxis, and buses to ease inter-state travel within the North East. The Managing Director/CEO of NEDC, Mohammed Alkali, made this announcement during a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the National Association of Transport Owners (NATO) in Maiduguri.
Alkali explained that this initiative is designed to support movement across the 112 local government areas in the North East, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for a sustainable transportation sector. He added that the project had received approval from the President, with the meeting aimed at discussing the operational details with key transportation stakeholders.
“We want to introduce some innovative ideas into our transportation system in the Northeast. This will be done in three dimension, the first will be solar powered tricycles, the second would be solar powered taxis and buses. We want to deploy 10, 000 pieces of tricycles. The tricycle will be much than others. We believe it will go a long way in covering the entire Northeast.” said Alkali.
He emphasized the importance of creating modular power sources, primarily solar, given the region’s abundant sunlight. The buses, once fully charged, can travel up to 300 kilometers. Additionally, Alkali stressed that the Commission would organize training sessions for drivers and key stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
The Taraba State chairman of NATO, Adama Tukur, praised the initiative, particularly its role in supporting the global climate change campaign. The secretary of the Borno State NURTW, Ahmadu Musa, also commended the NEDC’s solar-powered transportation plan, emphasizing the need for the proper deployment and management of these vehicles to ensure efficiency.
This solar-powered transportation initiative reflects the NEDC’s commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable solutions to the region’s transportation challenges while easing the burden on the people of the Northeast.
