Benue State has made a historic move in Nigeria’s clean energy drive with the launch of the country’s first commercial solar-powered taxi fleet in Makurdi.
The initiative, a partnership between the state government and green tech firm Esse Mobility, is aimed at offering eco-friendly, affordable transport while creating thousands of jobs.
Esse Mobility founder, Okey Esse, described the project as a breakthrough in sustainable urban mobility, revealing that each vehicle runs entirely on solar energy, with built-in real-time trip monitoring for safety.
“Our goal is to roll out 500 units by December 2025 and set up assembly plants in Benue to support local production,” he said.
The project is expected to generate over 8,500 direct and indirect jobs statewide and will expand to towns like Otukpo and Vandeikya in the coming months.
“With this innovation, transport in Benue will no longer be hostage to fuel prices. It’s a reliable, climate-friendly and job-creating model,” Esse added.
