Yutong to provide 12,000 e-buses in Lagos, Nigeria, in cooperation with energy company OCEL

Oando Clean Energy Limited (OCEL), an energy company based in Nigeria, has kicked off a collaboration with Chinese bus manufacturer Yutong. The partnership aims to deploy 12,000 electric buses and install the necessary infrastructure to support them on Nigerian roads within the next seven years. The first two pilot vehicles have been delivered. The buses will be assembled locally.

Yutong – OCEL: electric buses for Nigeria

According to the Nigerian Observer News, the delivery of the electric buses is part of OCEL’s commitment to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) to facilitate the deployment of an electric vehicle infrastructure ecosystem that includes electric buses, charging stations, and other supporting infrastructure.

The memorandum of understanding, signed in 2022, aimed to bridge the gap in the current mass transit bus system and improve the mass transit infrastructure in Lagos State.

OCEL partnered with Yutong Bus Co Limited, the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, to produce the electric buses, which are equipped with air conditioning and Wi-Fi.

Frank Lee, Managing Director, Yutong West Africa stated: “This is a watershed moment for Yutong. It’s our first delivery of electric mass transit buses in Sub-Saharan Africa and the first step in the large-scale deployment of an electric powered public road transport system in Nigeria. We are excited to be embarking on this journey in partnership with Oando, an organization with a history of stellar performance in the energy sector and are hopeful to see a quick turnaround in our joint plans to advance all facets of the country’s transition to eco-friendly vehicles, including the development of local capacity through the delivery of, and exposure to extensive training programs for all stakeholders, from drivers to operators and the regulators. Our foray into Sub-Saharan Africa has transformed us into a global supplier of EVs with customers across the Middle East, Europe, South America and Asia. Our electric vehicles offer outstanding performance due to their advanced technology capabilities and testing for different terrains; all of which make our buses particularly well suited for use as a public transportation option in Nigeria”.