Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The North-East Development Commission will unveil more than 10,000 electric vehicles in October 2026 as part of a major transportation intervention aimed at reducing mobility costs and improving transportation across Nigeria's North-East geopolitical zone, the commission announced at the 13th meeting of the North-East Governors' Forum held in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
The initiative, which comprises 10,000 electric tricycles, 10 electric buses and 300 electric taxis, was approved by the Federal Executive Council and is being implemented under the management of the NEDC. The vehicles are being assembled in Maiduguri and will be distributed across the six North-East states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe. The intervention is expected to introduce a new dimension to transportation in the region while creating opportunities for employment, youth empowerment, technical skills development and investment in the emerging electric-mobility value chain. The electric vehicles are expected to provide a more efficient and potentially more affordable means of transportation, particularly as governments across the region continue to invest in road infrastructure and urban development.
The Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, inspected the ongoing assembly of the vehicles in Maiduguri in August 2026 and expressed satisfaction with the progress of the project. "From what we have seen today, I can say that I am very much impressed because nearly all the 10,000 E-vehicles and tricycles are on ground. They are already assembling them," Momoh said. He disclosed that the project would create job opportunities for youths during and after its unveiling across the North-East region, noting that the assembling process alone had already generated employment. "When I ask the Director of Operations, he said before they complete the 10,000 target, at least we must have catered for not less than 100,000 people who will get jobs in the assembling process. This is the transformation that this administration is talking about," he stated. The minister also urged the NEDC leadership to ensure that rural dwellers were not excluded from the distribution chain upon completion, stressing that communities along the corridors of newly constructed rural roads should be catered for.
The governors acknowledged the support of the Federal Government through the NEDC in providing the vehicles with a view to lessening the burden of transportation. In the communique issued at the end of their two-day meeting, which began on October 2 and ended on October 3, the governors said the vehicles were expected to be launched in October. The meeting was chaired by Borno State Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, who is also the Chairman of the NEGF. Present were Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Deputy Governor Mohammed Auwal Jatau of Bauchi State representing Governor Bala Mohammed, and Deputy Governor Idi Barde Gubana of Yobe State representing Governor Mai Mala Buni. The Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur, also attended. The Taraba State governor and his deputy were absent. Reading out the communique, Governor Fintiri said the Forum continued to appreciate the level of cooperation and collaboration among member states since its inaugural meeting in Gombe in March 2020.
The e-mobility initiative is part of a broader regional transportation strategy that the governors outlined during the meeting. To ease the cost of transportation, strengthen logistics and open the region to more economic activities, the Forum agreed to partner with Green Ville Energy to build and provide more Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas stations within the region. The governors also resolved to establish the North-East Regional Air Shuttle, which they said would make inter- and intra-regional movement of people and goods faster and easier. The combination of electric vehicles, CNG and LNG infrastructure, and a regional air shuttle represents a comprehensive approach to addressing the transportation challenges that have long constrained economic activity in the North-East, a region that has suffered decades of insurgency and underinvestment.
The economic implications of the e-mobility project extend beyond transportation. The initiative is expected to create a new ecosystem of economic activities around vehicle maintenance, charging infrastructure, battery management, electrical services and fleet operations. The Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Dr Mohammed Goje, said the introduction of electric vehicles would have significant impact when combined with the administration's ongoing investments in road infrastructure and urban renewal. He noted that the improvement of road networks and the ongoing transformation of urban centres provided an enabling environment for modern transportation solutions to thrive, and that the combination of improved roads, urban renewal and cleaner transportation would enhance mobility, support economic activities and contribute to improving the quality of life of residents. The programme could particularly benefit young people by creating opportunities to acquire specialised skills in electric-vehicle technology and related services, positioning them to participate in the emerging green economy.
The NEDC's investment in the North-East has been substantial. The commission has projected over N1.5 trillion in development projects across the region, with N400 billion allocated to two major energy and transportation initiatives, including the electric vehicle project estimated at N200 billion and another N200 billion for the deployment of mini-grids across the region. The e-mobility project reflects a broader push by the Federal Government to promote clean energy and reduce carbon emissions in line with global climate goals, while simultaneously addressing the immediate transportation needs of a region that has been economically disadvantaged for years.
For the people of the North-East, the e-mobility project represents a tangible intervention that could lower transportation costs and improve access to markets, schools and healthcare facilities. For the governors, it is a demonstration of the value of regional cooperation and sustained engagement with the Federal Government. For the NEDC, it is an opportunity to deliver on its mandate to rebuild and develop a region that has borne the brunt of insurgency and neglect. As the vehicles are distributed across the six states, the coming weeks will determine whether the project delivers on its promise of cheaper, cleaner and more reliable transportation. For now, the governors have acknowledged the intervention, the vehicles are assembled, and October is the month of delivery. As Dr Goje put it, the combination of improved roads, urban renewal and cleaner transportation would enhance mobility, support economic activities and contribute to improving the quality of life of residents.
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