Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited has rolled out Nigeria’s first locally assembled electric heavy-duty truck, a milestone for the country’s automotive industry that signals a new era of green mobility, local manufacturing and sustainable transportation across Nigeria and West Africa.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Dangote Group, the vehicle was unveiled at the company’s assembly facility in Ikeja, Lagos.
The event was attended by senior representatives of the Dangote Group, Sinotruk Group and the Lagos State Government, along with industry stakeholders, customers, business partners and other dignitaries.
The rollout expands the Dangote Sinotruk joint venture from conventional commercial vehicle assembly into new-energy mobility. The company now offers electric heavy-duty trucks alongside its existing range of heavy-duty trucks, tippers, light trucks, pickups and buses.
Group Vice-President of Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar V.G. Edwin, said the introduction of electric commercial vehicles is another important step in the joint venture’s evolution and shows the Group’s readiness to embrace emerging technologies that create value for customers and support Nigeria’s environmental goals.
He explained that the partnership was set up to build a world-class commercial vehicle business in Nigeria, strengthen local assembly, transfer technology, create jobs and support industrial development. Sinotruk was chosen as technology partner after an extensive evaluation of Chinese truck manufacturers.
“Today, we are taking an important further step as the global economy is looking for sustainable business, that is, vehicles which will also be protective of the environment. So, we went into CNG technology and now we are going into electric technology,” Edwin said.
He said electric commercial vehicles can lower operating costs and reduce tailpipe emissions, with the benefits depending on the application, the cost of electricity and the charging infrastructure available.
The rollout comes as Nigeria steps up efforts to move towards cleaner energy and transport, with the Federal Government promoting compressed natural gas and other alternative-energy technologies.
Edwin said Dangote Sinotruk is already preparing the infrastructure and technical support needed to deploy electric vehicles effectively in Nigeria.
He noted that successful adoption will require reliable charging facilities, technical expertise, spare parts and strong after-sales support, and that the company is setting up a team for this purpose.
It will also help customers with charging infrastructure and technical know-how while working with government, partners and customers to develop the country’s electric vehicle ecosystem.
He described the launch as more than the introduction of a new product, calling it a statement of the Group’s commitment to innovation, green energy and the future of mobility.
The company’s long-term ambition, he said, is to become one of West Africa’s leading automotive assembly and manufacturing firms, drawing on Nigeria’s large market, industrial base and entrepreneurial capacity.
He said it will continue to deepen local assembly, facilitate technology transfer, develop Nigerian technical talent, increase local value addition and create jobs.
Under the technology transfer programme, Sinotruk is expected to train Nigerian engineers and technicians, including practical training for selected personnel at its facilities in China.
President of Sinotruk Group, Liu Wei, called the rollout a historic moment for Nigeria, the joint venture and the African automotive industry, and a practical response to Nigeria’s energy transition ambitions.
He said it is the first new-energy truck assembled on the African continent.
“Today, we gather in the beautiful city of Lagos to witness the official roll-off of the first electric heavy-duty truck from the joint venture,” Liu said, adding that it marks a substantial step for Nigeria and West Africa in localised manufacturing and the green transition of commercial vehicles.
He said the milestone fits Nigeria’s long-term carbon neutrality objectives and plans to modernise its energy mix, decarbonise transport and strengthen industrial capacity.
Liu traced the partnership’s growth. It began in 2010, the joint venture was formally established in 2014, and its first heavy truck came off the line in 2017. A commercial vehicle welding and e-coating paint line became operational in 2024.
The venture has so far assembled more than 8,000 vehicles locally and will keep upgrading its production capabilities to serve Nigeria and the wider West African market.
Sinotruk will also deepen training and skills development for Nigerian engineers and technicians, opening more technical and manufacturing roles to young Nigerians.
The representative of the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation welcomed the milestone, describing it as a defining moment for Nigeria’s industrial and transportation sectors.
He said locally assembled electric trucks show that Nigeria can take an active part in the global shift to cleaner transport instead of depending on imported automotive technology.
He highlighted the potential benefits, including lower emissions, reduced long-term operating costs for transport and logistics operators, job creation, and advanced electric vehicle and sustainable manufacturing skills for Nigerian engineers and technicians.
He commended Dangote Sinotruk for combining global technology with local industrial capacity and urged continued investment in skills development and local manufacturing.
The launch marks another phase for Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited, which has steadily widened its product range and manufacturing capabilities to meet the needs of Nigeria’s transport and logistics sector.
The company aims to make Nigeria a strategic automotive manufacturing hub for West Africa, with locally assembled vehicles serving the region’s logistics, construction, infrastructure and transport needs.
For the Dangote Group, the milestone reinforces its wider industrialisation strategy of building local manufacturing capacity, transferring technology, creating jobs and developing businesses that can serve markets beyond Nigeria.
