Global Courant
With more than 20 million inhabitants, Lagos is the most populous city in Africa and one of the fastest growing megacities in the world. Over the past decade, the number of vehicles on Lagos roads has quadrupled. On average, most of these vehicles are older than 15 years and use old emissions technologies and fuel with high sulfur content.
The upward trajectory in vehicle numbers poses a significant challenge as transportation has been identified as a major contributor to annual CO2 emissions globally, accounting for almost a third of emissions. This figure is significantly higher in Nigeria, where transport accounts for around 60% of CO2 emissions. The World Bank estimates that at least 30,000 people in Lagos die every year due to pollution.
Oando recognizes that one of the fastest routes to net zero will be to eliminate transportation and its associated pollution. Against this backdrop and in support of accelerating Nigeria’s race to achieve net zero emissions by 2060, the country’s transport system is being ‘cleaned up’ through the deployment of sustainable transport solutions. The agenda of Oando Clean Energy (OCEL) is to invest in climate-friendly and cost-effective energy solutions across the African continent, starting in home country Nigeria.
Currently, Lagos State’s public transport system has over 1,000 internal combustion engine buses that emit an estimated 44,000 kg of CO2 every day. OCEL’s strategic approach is to drive electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Nigeria and build the next downstream sector for mobility; one that will provide electricity instead of gasoline or diesel by switching the country’s current mass transit vehicles with internal combustion engines to electric vehicles.
To this end, OCEL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the Lagos State Government agency charged with planning, implementing, regulating and franchising sustainable integrated public transport in Lagos. The MoU establishes a partnership between OCEL and Lagos State in its quest to become a sustainable city through the rollout of electric public transport buses, supporting charging infrastructure and service centers (EV Infrastructure Ecosystem).
Oando-LAMATA EV launch in May 2023
This landmark initiative and a first for Lagos State demonstrates Oando’s commitment to the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact, in which the company has been a participant since 2009. It also reflects their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Goal 13 – Climate Action.
President of OCEL, Dr. Ainojie “Alex” Irune said the initiative is in recognition of the urgent need for electric vehicles to address transportation’s approximately 60% contribution to Nigeria’s greenhouse gas emissions. “This is an opportunity for us to revolutionize mobility in our country and build local capacity for the renewable and clean energy ecosystem. Although these buses come from all over the world today, in the very near future they will be manufactured here in Nigeria. In the very near future, we will have a large number of locally trained engineers capable of operating, servicing and servicing these buses and other renewable energy assets. We see these buses as a first step.
This PoC facilitates the collection of the first sets of data points to support the development and deployment of electric vehicles for municipal and public transport on the continent. Our ambition, together with Lagos State, is to set our sights on the future and chart a path for others to follow,” he noted.
With the Sustainable Transport Initiative, OCEL will introduce electric buses to LAMATA’s current bus fleet. The initiative aims to support the transformation of the state’s public transportation system through the development and deployment of a pathway to a zero-carbon mobility ecosystem within the state.
Speaking about the launch of the PoC phase, the Honorable Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Frederic Oladeeinde, op; “Climate change refers to a long-term shift in temperature and weather patterns and it is something we have recently experienced in Lagos and Nigeria. Such shifts can be due to natural causes, such as changes in the sun’s activities or large volcanic eruptions, or they can be caused by human activities. Today, there is abundant evidence showing that human activities have been the main drivers of climate change, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.”
“This situation has prompted positive actions from world leaders and environmentalists to act quickly to save our world. Lagos is the only state in Nigeria that has prepared and initiated a climate action plan. The plan outlines 26 efforts related to adaptation and mitigation measures to build a sustainable low-carbon economy in pursuit of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, ten years ahead of the federal government’s 2060 target,” said he.
“The UNGC has provided Oando with a great platform, supported by invaluable resources and a network of like-minded private sector companies and peers on which to align and benchmark our sustainability vision and practices. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate sustainability leadership through our involvement in the local UNGC network and global action platforms and collective action initiatives,” said Ayotola Jagun, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of Oando PLC.
The rollout of the electric buses commenced in May 2023 with a three-month Proof-Of-Concept (PoC) phase and is aimed at assessing the viability of electric buses for mass transit in Lagos State. This will be followed by a pilot phase of an expanded fleet and bus routes, and the eventual nationwide deployment of 12,000 buses creating employment for over 30,000 Nigerians.
By day 50 of the PoC phase, the electric public transport buses had transported 41,678 passengers, traveled a total of 22,129 km and reduced more than 29 tons (29,875 kg) of CO2 emissions. In addition, OCEL has trained 44 drivers and technicians (both men and women) in this phase.
The launch of electric public transport buses in partnership with the Lagos State Government sets a precedent for other states and industry stakeholders and marks a milestone in the pursuit of sustainable urban mobility. E-mobility has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and contribute to climate change mitigation.
The Honorable Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr. Olalere Odusote noted the positive impact the project will have on the health of citizens and the productivity of the city.
“Lagos occupies less than 0.4% of Nigeria’s landmass but is host to 12% of Nigerians; that should tell you that this is indeed a busy city, it is also the smallest state in Nigeria, yet the most populous. Research shows that a large majority of presentations to hospitals across the state are for respiratory illnesses, meaning they breathe significant amounts of polluted air with direct and indirect losses to the state due to missed workdays, lost revenue and hospital bills to name a few. This is yet another step we are taking as a government to ensure we make the environment cleaner, in addition to the other positive steps being taken in the power sector,” he said.
The General Manager LAMATA Engr. Abimbola Akinoja also noted: “This initiative is an important aspect of our vision for transportation in Lagos State. We would like to have a clean and efficient transport system. I am delighted that, in just over a year since Oando Clean Energy came to us to discuss the possibility of working with us in the deployment of electric buses, we have signed an MoU with the main outcome being the implementation of a PoC with which we finally include electric buses in our ecosystem.”
Oando’s Sustainable Transport Initiative, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency and promote cleaner and more sustainable transport, will contribute to global climate goals and Nigeria’s sustainable development. It is expected that the success of the initiative in Lagos State will lead to its replication in other states across the country and serve as a blueprint for sustainable urban mobility across Africa.
“We are pleased to recognize Oando PLC for their efforts and exemplary leadership in driving clean and efficient transportation solutions,” said Naomi Nwokolo, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Nigeria.
“This initiative is in line with the mandate of the UN Global Compact to promote sustainable development, social progress and care for the environment, in particular Principle 8 of the UN Global Compact: “Businesses should take initiatives to take greater responsibility for to promote the environment’.
We encourage all companies, including Oando PLC, to continue exploring innovative and sustainable solutions that create shared value for society, the environment and the economy. Collaboration between the private sector, governments and civil society is crucial to achieving the SDGs and creating a more sustainable future for all. We remain committed to supporting businesses on their journey towards responsible and sustainable business practices, and we look forward to witnessing further progress and innovation from our participating organizations in the pursuit of a more sustainable future,” she noted.
Clutch: Regional Hub for Africa – United Nations Global Compact (unglobalcompact.org)
