By Abbas Nazil
The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and the University of Abuja have moved to strengthen Nigeria’s electric vehicle industry through a proposed partnership focused on battery technology, research and local innovation.
The collaboration is expected to address one of the major challenges facing electric vehicles in Nigeria, particularly the management of battery heat under the country’s high-temperature conditions.
The partnership was discussed on September 8, 2026, during a high-level meeting between Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, Director-General of NADDC, and Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja.
At the centre of the proposed collaboration is an innovative battery casing designed to improve heat management and heat dissipation in electric vehicles.
The project is expected to involve research, computer modelling, testing and prototyping, with the possibility of developing the technology for local production and eventual commercial application.
Osanipin stressed the need for Nigeria to translate academic research into practical solutions capable of addressing challenges within the country’s automotive industry.
He said Nigerian universities possess considerable research capacity that could be harnessed to develop technologies suited to the country’s specific automotive needs.
The NADDC director-general also called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, universities and the private sector to ensure that promising research does not remain confined to laboratories.
According to him, research outcomes should be developed into practical products that can progress through testing, production, commercialisation and market application.
The proposed battery casing project is particularly significant as Nigeria seeks to increase the adoption of electric vehicles and develop domestic capacity around emerging automotive technologies.
Electric vehicle batteries can generate considerable heat during charging and operation, making effective thermal management important for battery performance, reliability and safety.
The proposed research will therefore focus on developing a solution capable of responding to the environmental and operational conditions faced by electric vehicles in Nigeria.
Professor Fawehinmi expressed the University of Abuja’s readiness to deepen its collaboration with NADDC and contribute its academic and research capacity to the development of automotive technology.
He also highlighted the importance of exposing students and researchers to emerging technologies, practical experimentation and industry-oriented problem-solving.
Beyond the battery-casing initiative, the two institutions discussed opportunities for students and researchers to gain access to NADDC facilities for practical training and automotive research.
The areas identified for possible collaboration include component testing, reverse engineering and other forms of applied automotive research.
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure was also identified as another potential area of cooperation between the institutions.
The proposed partnership is expected to be formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding, which would establish a framework for sustained research, innovation, capacity development and knowledge transfer.
The agreement could also provide a platform for greater interaction between academic researchers and automotive industry stakeholders as Nigeria works to strengthen its domestic electric vehicle ecosystem.
NADDC has continued to push for greater local participation in automotive technology development, while the University of Abuja is expected to contribute research expertise and opportunities for student training.
The collaboration could consequently help bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application by supporting the development and testing of technologies designed specifically for Nigeria’s operating environment.
With electric mobility gaining attention as an alternative to conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, the development of locally appropriate battery technologies remains important to the country’s transition towards cleaner transportation.
The proposed partnership therefore places research, innovation, skills development and local technology production at the centre of efforts to advance Nigeria’s electric vehicle capabilities.
