Damilola Odunalde-Akeju is the Founder of DriveMe Mobility Technology. In this interview, the business development and operations professional talks about the mobility sector, the future of electric vehicles amongst others. He says he is passionate about sustainable mobility and the adoption of sustainable transportation practices in Africa. Daniel Obi brings excerpts
In cities like Lagos where mobility remains a challenge, how can government policies and regulatory frameworks be structured and leveraged to attract more private investments that will help tackle the challenge?
Lagos State has a lot of potential to attract investment in the transportation sector. Still, government policies and the regulatory framework should be an area of key focus to attract the kind of investment that is required for sustainable development. Creating an enabling environment that reduces risks for investors, provides clear incentives, and promotes sustainable mobility is crucial in a metropolis like Lagos.
The government can establish a well-defined regulatory framework that clarifies roles, responsibilities, and expectations for both public and private sector players. This could include clear guidelines for vehicle registration, licensing, and compliance with environmental standards.
The state can also execute policies that encourage sustainable mobility projects, such as dedicated bus lanes, bike-sharing programs, and EV charging networks, thereby attracting private investors interested in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals.
With the implementation of the right government and regulatory framework, the strategic investment required for the growth of the mobility sector will be accelerated.
Sustainable mobility solutions are emerging to lead the charge into a greener future. What are the underlying trends driving this development globally?
Sustainable mobility is a mindset that prioritizes the initiatives that minimize the environmental impact of transportation assets, while ‘deprioritizing’ the use of fossil fuels to power different vehicles. With the high rate of climate change, governments around the world are implementing measures that reduce the reliance on liquid fuels for vehicles, especially in cities.
China is the world’s largest EV market, driven by government mandates, subsidies, and a focus on reducing air pollution. They are on target to meet their 2030 electric vehicle target, with statistics showing that they currently have over 40% of vehicles on the road that are electric.
In Kenya, the government is taking the EV adoption drive very seriously by providing incentives to manufacturers, reducing electricity tariffs at night and several other policies that are accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles.
Ogun State in Nigeria recently introduced CNG buses for transportation, electric motorcycles and battery swap stations across the state. In recent news also, Lagos state added to the LagRide fleet over 1k electric vehicles, this will trigger the growth of charging infrastructure across the state.
Electric cars and electric vehicles (EVs) are being promoted as an eco-friendly alternative to those that run on fossil fuels. As part of an overall strategy to curb carbon emissions in our cities, what design and functional features do you think car manufacturers should start prioritizing?
The technology in electric vehicles has greatly advanced and keeps evolving. Different manufacturers around the globe are introducing vehicle models with features that can compete with many fossil-fuel vehicles in the same range. The interesting part is that the total cost of ownership of an EV is typically over 30% less than fossil fuel vehicles.
The focus right now should be to increase adoption of electric vehicles and other sustainable transportation options for economic and social impact reasons.
Concerns are being raised about the mining activities involved in producing electric car batteries. Others also believe that there isn’t a cost-effective means for recycling electric car batteries yet. Would electric vehicles also end up posing a serious risk to the environment?
There is a great opportunity for battery recycling. The circular economy promotes repairing, refurbishing and recycling of existing materials and products for as long as possible. The long-term benefits outweigh the initial cost requirements for research and development towards enhancing and efficiently reducing any risk in recycling.
The Federal Government recently started driving wider conversion of petrol-powered automobiles to run on compressed natural gas (CNG). Is this a sustainable fuel option and how would it impact car owners’ wallets?
Nigeria is blessed with surplus gas reserves, so it makes sense to deploy this natural resource to sustainable use. The Federal Government initiative for CNG adoption in vehicles is really great and should be encouraged.
The plan to optimize the existing gas pipeline and upgrade the infrastructure to accommodate CNG fueling stations will make a huge difference. But, we also need to consider the global direction for sustainable transportation. Many developed countries are prioritizing electric vehicles, and this is greatly influencing the production of vehicles.
CNG is definitely a sustainable fuel option as Italy is leading in the adoption of CNG vehicles, and they have been able to grow to have over 1,300 CNG fuel stations in the country. India is one country that is dual promoting both CNG and Electric powered vehicles.
Vehicle owners will immediately be able to harness the benefits of adopting sustainable mobility if the required infrastructure and government policy are available. The adoption rate of conversion of vehicles to CNG is gradually increasing as more fleet operators and owners discover the savings they make.
What is the role of technology in raising performance in the mobility industry?
Technology development is evolving every day, with great advancements in IOT in the mobility sector. The connectedness of mobility assets is enhancing the performance of vehicles, as well as decision-making for fleet operators and vehicle owners. There are notable technological advancements in the mobility space – for instance self-driving vehicles, EVs and several other innovations.
What is your vision for the mobility industry in Nigeria?
I see a future where we have a connected Nigeria, where there are better roads that connect the different cities, and rail networks that carry cargo, thereby decongesting the roads from trucks and a country with more sustainable transportation options for every Nigerian.
