NADDC, University of Abuja Partner To Advance Electric Vehicle Technology And Battery Innovation

Nigeria’s electric vehicle revolution could soon get a major homegrown boost, as the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and the University of Abuja are teaming up to develop technology aimed at solving one of the biggest challenges facing EVs in Nigeria — battery heat management.

The proposed strategic partnership was discussed on September 8, 2026, during a high-level meeting between the NADDC Director General, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi.

At the centre of the proposed collaboration is an innovative battery casing designed to improve heat management and dissipation in electric vehicles, particularly under Nigeria’s high-temperature conditions. The project is expected to cover research, modelling, testing and prototyping, with potential for local production and commercial application.

Speaking at the meeting, Osanipin stressed the need to turn academic research into practical solutions for Nigeria’s automotive industry. He noted that Nigerian universities possess significant research capacity that can be harnessed to tackle real-world challenges facing the sector.

The NADDC boss also called for stronger collaboration between government, academia and industry to ensure that promising innovations do not remain confined to laboratories but progress into production, commercialization and market application.

On his part, Professor Fawehinmi expressed the University of Abuja’s readiness to deepen its collaboration with NADDC. He highlighted the importance of exposing students and researchers to emerging automotive technologies, practical experimentation and industry-oriented problem-solving.

Beyond the battery-casing project, both institutions discussed opportunities for students and researchers to access NADDC facilities for practical training, component testing, reverse engineering and automotive research. The development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure was also identified as an area of potential collaboration.

The partnership is expected to be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing a framework for sustained research, innovation, capacity development and knowledge transfer as NADDC continues its push to strengthen Nigeria’s local automotive technology and EV capabilities.

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