Hybrid Motors, China’s Design Launch Design partner to build 70, 000-units EV factories Abuja, Lagos

 

 

By Maureen Aguta

Nigeria’s ambition to become a major player in Africa’s emerging electric vehicle market received a significant boost after Launch Design Shanghai and Hybrid Motors Nigeria sealed a strategic partnership to establish electric vehicle manufacturing plants in Lagos and Abuja.

The agreement, signed in Shanghai on May 8, 2026, is expected to deepen local automobile manufacturing, expand technology transfer, create jobs and position Nigeria as a regional hub for sustainable mobility and automotive exports in West Africa.

At the centre of the partnership is “Acely,” Hybrid Motors Nigeria’s indigenous electric vehicle brand developed for Nigerian roads and driving conditions.

Under the deal, the companies will jointly develop manufacturing and assembly operations with a projected combined production capacity of 70,000 vehicles annually at full maturity.

The Lagos facility, located along the Lekki-Epe corridor, will serve as the flagship production and assembly hub with an annual capacity of 50,000 units.

 

The plant’s strategic location near the Lekki Deep Sea Port is expected to support export operations to regional markets including Ghana, Benin, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire.

A second facility, planned within the Free Zone Business Area of Centenary Economic City in Abuja, will function as a manufacturing and technology centre with projected annual output of 20,000 units, targeting Northern Nigeria and neighbouring Sahel markets.

Industry stakeholders say the dual-facility model could significantly reduce logistics costs, strengthen regional distribution networks and stimulate industrial activities across multiple parts of the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of Hybrid Motors Nigeria, Mr. Jubril Arogundade, described the agreement as a defining moment for Nigeria’s automotive sector and a major step toward building a globally competitive local vehicle industry.

“This partnership is more than a business agreement; it is a commitment to building Nigeria’s automotive future,” Arogundade said.

“With Acely, we are demonstrating that world-class vehicles can be conceived, designed and assembled in Nigeria by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our collaboration with Launch Design brings international engineering expertise directly into our operations while ensuring the vehicles remain tailored to local realities.”

Chief Executive Officer of Launch Design, Mr. Wang Xun, said the partnership combines global engineering competence with deep local market knowledge.

According to him, the collaboration goes beyond vehicle production and represents the foundation for a broader industrial ecosystem.

“Our turnkey engineering capabilities, combined with Hybrid Motors’ understanding of the Nigerian market, create a strong platform for success. Together, we are not just building vehicles; we are building an industry,” Wang said.

As part of the arrangement, Launch Design Shanghai will provide engineering support covering vehicle architecture, manufacturing systems, production optimisation and quality assurance processes.

The companies said the project would prioritise local assembly, market-specific vehicle designs, energy-efficient systems and the gradual integration of advanced electric and hybrid propulsion technologies.

They also projected wide-ranging economic benefits including employment generation, local supply chain development, reduced dependence on imported vehicles and stronger integration of Nigeria into Africa’s automotive value chain.

Analysts say the partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s National Automotive Industry Development Plan and ongoing efforts to promote cleaner transportation systems while boosting domestic manufacturing capacity.

For Nigeria, where dependence on imported vehicles continues to drain foreign exchange, the emergence of indigenous electric vehicle manufacturing is increasingly being viewed as both an industrial and strategic economic opportunity.

Arogundade said the project would lay the foundation for a new mobility ecosystem that is locally driven but internationally competitive.

“With facilities in Lagos and Abuja serving complementary markets across Nigeria and the wider region, we are creating a new era of mobility that is sustainable, innovative and proudly African,” he said.