Rising fuel costs drive Nigerian commuters toward electric motorcycles
Soaring petrol prices after President Bola Tinubu ended the fuel subsidy have prompted riders in Gombe to adopt electric motorcycles as a cheaper alternative.
President Bola Tinubu’s decision to scrap the national fuel subsidy in May 2023 triggered a sharp rise in gasoline prices, pushing the cost per litre from about 200 naira to roughly 1,365 naira. In Gombe’s Pantami District, this surge has led a growing number of riders to replace noisy, polluting petrol motorcycles with electric models that cost about 1 million naira each. Users such as Ayuba Abubakar and Ahmed Aminu say the electric bikes save thousands of naira weekly on fuel and oil, while Yakubu Sule values their quiet operation.
However, frequent power outages and the need to charge bikes with generators undermine environmental benefits. Sustenaa’s chief executive Muhammad Abubakar proposes solar-driven battery-swap stations, lower import duties on components, and a recycling framework to make electric mobility viable. Although still a niche market, the trend hints at a broader transformation of Nigerian transport driven by economic pressure and air-quality concerns.
Why it matters
High fuel prices are pushing Nigerians toward electric bikes, reshaping transport costs, emissions and local energy needs.
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