Kano State has witnessed the launch of a first-of-its-kind electric tricycle programme aimed at empowering women and promoting a greener future.
The Alternative Bank, in collaboration with the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and Qoray Mobility, unveiled this social impact project, providing 120 women from the Mata Zalla and Yar Baiwa cooperatives with fully electric tricycles and comprehensive training.
“This initiative is a double win,” declared Garba Mohammed, the executive director of Alternative Bank.
In a statement, he was quoted as saying, “Our electric tricycles are designed to address significant concerns regarding the safety of female passengers and children while at the same time safeguarding the environment.”
The statement noted that unlike traditional petrol-powered tricycles, which contribute to pollution and incur high operating costs due to rising fuel prices, these electric tricycles are designed to reduce carbon emissions and promote a cleaner, healthier environment.
Accordingly, the statement noted that the programmes align with The Alternative Bank’s commitment to both community well-being and environmental responsibility.
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The statement noted that unlike traditional petrol-powered tricycles, which contribute to pollution and incur high operating costs due to rising fuel prices, these electric tricycles are designed to reduce carbon emissions and promote a cleaner, healthier environment.
Accordingly, the statement noted that the programmes align with The Alternative Bank’s commitment to both community well-being and environmental responsibility.
Adamu Maikano, regional coordinator of Kaduna and Kano State for the UK’s FCDO, highlighted the broader impact of the initiative, stating, “The UK government, a longstanding ally of Nigeria, is committed to facilitating investment, trade, and economic development. The launch of this EV project is evidence that partnerships truly work when all parties remain focused on a mutual goal.”
Maikano elaborated, “The UK’s FCDO-funded LINKS programme, worked with two women’s cooperatives in Kano – Mata Zalla and Yar Baiwa, The Alternative Bank, and the Kano Road Traffic Agency, to train 85 women, including the certification of 30 mechanics, and provision of essential tools. The UK’s FCDO also supported the cooperatives with a two-year lease for the service centre, and equipped them with battery recharging infrastructure.”
“The project addresses challenges women face with traditional tricycles, including instances of violence. Having female owners and operators of the e-tricycles offers added comfort and security to women passengers who have no choice but to use tricycles for transportation, and equally offers the potential to lower greenhouse gas emissions significantly,” Maikano said.
