NAJA Auto Summit to Chart Nigeria’s E V, CNG Future on July 30
By Daphne Uduneje
Key stakeholders in Nigeria’s automotive and energy sectors will converge in Lagos on July 30, 2026, for the third edition of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Auto Summit, aimed at advancing discussions on the country’s transition to cleaner, affordable, and sustainable transportation.
The summit, scheduled to hold at the Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, is themed: “Nigeria’s Clean Mobility Future: The EV and CNG Journey Under the Bola Tinubu Administration.”
According to a statement issued by the summit’s organising committee, the high-level forum will bring together policymakers, regulators, vehicle manufacturers, energy providers, transport operators, financiers, and industry experts to evaluate the progress, opportunities, and challenges surrounding the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles in Nigeria.
Chairman of NAJA, Theodore Opara, said the summit is designed to generate practical solutions for reducing transportation costs, enhancing energy security, and stimulating economic growth through clean mobility initiatives.
“Nigeria possesses one of Africa’s largest gas reserves. Expanding CNG infrastructure can provide a practical bridge towards a cleaner mobility future while strengthening energy security and reducing pressure on foreign exchange used for fuel imports,” Opara said.
He stressed that sustained collaboration among government agencies, vehicle manufacturers, financial institutions, and transport operators would be critical to achieving affordable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable transportation across the country.
Among the key speakers expected at the summit are the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG and EV), Barrister Ismael Ahmed; the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Joseph Osanipin; and the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed. Other leading stakeholders from both the public and private sectors are also expected to participate.
Participants will deliberate on critical issues, including policy implementation, infrastructure development, financing models, safety standards, local vehicle assembly, investment opportunities, and consumer adoption strategies required to drive Nigeria’s clean-energy transportation agenda.
The summit comes at a time of increasing government support for alternative fuels following the removal of fuel subsidies and the implementation of initiatives by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), which have placed EV and CNG mobility at the forefront of national economic and environmental discourse.
Opara noted that discussions would also focus on expanding charging and refuelling infrastructure, promoting environmental sustainability, and leveraging the media to deepen public awareness and acceptance of cleaner transportation technologies.
Chairman of the Summit Planning Committee, Rasheed Bisiriyu, said industry leaders would present case studies on emerging EV and CNG projects while outlining strategies to address challenges such as high vehicle acquisition costs, inadequate infrastructure, and limited technical expertise.
According to him, the successful development of a robust EV and CNG ecosystem has the potential to significantly reduce logistics and transportation costs, improve public mobility, and ease pressure on foreign exchange spent on fuel imports.
“Government incentives alone will not guarantee success. Investment in charging stations, CNG conversion centres, maintenance facilities, and technical training will determine how quickly adoption can scale nationwide,” Bisiriyu stated.
With growing public interest in alternative-energy vehicles and increasing policy support from the Federal Government, the third NAJA Auto Summit is expected to provide a strategic roadmap for accelerating Nigeria’s clean mobility transition while making transportation more affordable and sustainable for citizens.