Roll out of electric mass transit buses to reduce carbon footprint of 7 million commuters in Lagos – Oando

Oredola Adeola

…a possibility of sustainable transportation in Nigeria- Tinubu

Oando Plc, has revealed that the roll-out of its electric mass transit buses manufactured by Yutong, was part of the strategy to reduce the carbon footprint of over seven million public transport commuters and to showcase the possibility and viability of a sustainable transportation system in Nigeria using Lagos as a model for other states.

Mr. Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive of Oando PLC, has revealed that the acquisition of electric mass transit buses manufactured by Yutong, for use in Lagos State, was part of the strategy to showcase the possibility and viability of a sustainable transportation system in Nigeria using Lagos as a model for other states.

OANDO GCEO made this known in a statement obtained by EnergyDay on Thursday, on the sideline of the delivery of the buses in Nigeria.

According to him, the arrival of our electric mass transit buses and the development of an EV infrastructure ecosystem is a reminder that the only way to remain ahead of the curve is by being unafraid to break new ground and consistently looking for opportunities to leapfrog.

He said, “The commencement of this project gives us a platform to showcase to other states what is possible and opens the door for engagements on bespoke solutions to suit their local needs.

“This is also an opportunity to use this project as a model to be adopted by other organisations looking to venture into sustainable transportation.

Tinubu however commended the collaborative efforts of the Lagos State Government through LAMATA in seeing this project through.

Ainojie Irune, Chief Operating Officer, Oando Energy Resources Plc, on his part said that the development of a sustainable transport ecosystem is much more than the deployment of electric vehicles.

He said, “It is about reducing the carbon footprint of the 7 million public transport commuters and positively impacting the socio-economic indices surrounding transportation.

“The EV infrastructure, built to facilitate optimal efficiency of the buses, will form the artery of tomorrow’s EV utilisation in Nigeria by providing charging stations, servicing, spare parts, skills development, and knowledge transfer.

“The transition from an idea proposition to an operational initiative is validation of our collective commitment to realising the country’s ambition of becoming a net-zero carbon emitter by 2060.

The OCEL COO further affirmed that Lagos State is only the beginning, adding that the company is looking forward to replicating the EV public bus model nationwide through strategic partnerships across the public and private sectors.