The Federal Government is set to roll out 10,000 electric tricycles into the Nigerian market in August 2026 as part of efforts to improve public transportation and accelerate the adoption of clean energy solutions across the country.
The initiative, which will be implemented by the North East Development Commission (NEDC), is expected to serve the Northeast region in the first phase, with plans already underway to extend the programme to other parts of the country as part of the government’s broader transport reform agenda.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit by the Transporters for Tinubu/Shettima 2027 group, saying President Bola Tinubu had approved the replication of the initiative in other regions through the various regional development commissions.
According to the Vice President, the administration is working to transform Nigeria’s fragmented transport network into an integrated logistics system that links ports, railways, inland waterways, airports, roads and CNG-powered trucks to support commerce, agriculture and industrial growth.
“Our vision is an unbroken logistics chain where goods move seamlessly from the ports to rail lines, then to CNG-powered trucks and finally to markets across the country without delays or policy bottlenecks,” he said.
Shettima explained that the Federal Government’s transport reform agenda is anchored on the nationwide rollout of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), major port upgrades and the strengthening of the country’s logistics infrastructure.
He noted that the Presidential CNG Initiative is already helping to reduce transportation costs, particularly for heavy-duty vehicles, while the government continues to address technical and infrastructure challenges affecting smaller vehicles.
The Vice President also highlighted reforms in the maritime sector, including the operationalisation of the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the development of the National Single Window and renewed attention to inland waterways to improve the efficiency and global competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
He assured transport workers and operators that the Federal Government would continue to support policies that promote affordable fuel, insurable fleets, bankable contracts and better working conditions across the transport sector.
Earlier, the Technical Adviser to the Vice President on Transportation, Logistics and Innovation, Prince Segun Obayendo, said stakeholders in the air, maritime, rail and road transport sectors had expressed confidence in the Tinubu administration’s reforms and pledged support for the President’s re-election bid in 2027.
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Oniha Erazua, commended the administration for engaging transport unions and expressed optimism that the ongoing reforms would yield greater benefits if sustained.
