Made in Nigeria
The Electric Cargo Bike Revolution Comes to Africa
by Olukokun Tolulope
Electric cargo bikes are appearing in cities around the world but it seems not to be so in many African countries. In Nigeria, most goods are moved using trucks that run on diesel, a huge pollutant that is responsible for significant CO2 emissions, and the pollution is affecting the health of our communities.
Bicycles are the most affordable and clean way of getting around, and cargo bikes are, in fact, a huge energy- and emission-saver as they can carry more with much less effort. They can go off-road to farms, which many trucks cannot, and encourage an urban-rural linkage and seamless business transactions.
I believe electric cargo bikes can literally change the economy of Nigeria.
Nigeria is a country of 200 million people, with more than 50 percent of its population living on less than five dollars per day. Fossil fuels are expensive, and it is extremely difficult for many Nigerians to access our current transportation system.
The National Bureau of Statistics estimated Nigeria to have 60 vehicles per 1,000 people. This is not even enough for passengers, let alone moving goods, and has encouraged behaviors that lead to crashes on our roads.
A World Bank report also highlighted that poor road infrastructure and inefficient means of transportation that are prone to breakdowns and crashes are partially responsible for the shortage of food and food insecurity in Nigeria. 76 percent of tomatoes in Nigeria, the most widely-grown perishable crop, are wasted, with half lost due to transportation, handling, and storage.
Electric cargo bikes will be a game-changer for Nigeria by providing the most impact to the most in need. They will help small businesses maximize profits with affordable last-mile transportation, put a lot of women and youth to work, and reduce food insecurity as farmers can quickly transport their perishable produce to market for sale.
ThinkBikes was borne out of my passion for solving these problems. ThinkBikes is a micromobility company manufacturing electric cargo bikes, all built in Nigeria from locally-sourced components, for last-mile transportation of goods.
In Nigeria, small businesses are the highest employer of labor, but small business administration statistics estimate that 50 percent fail within two years. Inefficient logistics and transportation are major factors. ThinkBikes was established to provide the most affordable transportation for such businesses to continue to do business. It is the first electric bicycle manufactured in Nigeria and one of the only in Africa, and the impact is huge.
As fuel prices increase, the prices of commodities go up. When we have a means of transportation that doesn’t depend on fuel anymore, we can stabilize the price of commodities for Nigerians
Meanwhile, the world is interested in lowering carbon emissions: the most favorable means of transportation that could help us achieve that and at a minimal cost is the electric bicycle. This is estimated to save hundreds of tons of CO2 per year.
Manufacturing electric bikes also has the capacity to employ a lot of people. As we currently produce less than we consume, having a local manufacturing plant will help employ Nigerians. An estimated five million people can benefit from this initiative directly and indirectly.
It means a great deal of effort to pioneer this revolution. Nigeria produces little of what it consumes, and considering the high cost of shipping and import duty, producing locally means we are saving a lot of costs. It also employs many community members, including women and youth along the production and service chain.
With e-cargo bikes, Nigeria can start reducing the carbon emissions from the transportation sector on the way to net zero. This means better health, cleaner air, and a healthier environment for locals.
While we have such a great impact by producing locally, it will also mean a lot of challenges to overcome and a lot more in raising funds for our work. The reception has been very good so far; many businesses have seen how ThinkBikes Alpha (our flagship product) can benefit them going forward and we’ve seen great demand.
In conclusion, electric cargo bikes will be a revolution for the economy of Nigeria and we have started gradually. This is a cost-saving as well as live-saving product: the bikes are pedestrian-friendly and are not associated with injuries or crashes.
It will be the best thing that can ever happen to us in Nigeria.
Olukokun Tolulope is the CEO of ThinkBikes, a micromobility company manufacturing two- and three-wheelers for last-mile transportation of goods. ThinkBikes won the BOI Award of Excellence in Manufacturing at the 2022 National MSME Award by the Federal Government of Nigeria. He is a seasoned social entrepreneur and innovator with a number of patents. His works are on both local and international media. He is the 2021 GYCN Climate Ambassador and one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Nigeria (TOYP 2020) awardees. He won the 2020 African Under-40 Green Award, presented by the Ambassador of Sweden to Nigeria, was awarded as the Youth Entrepreneur of The Year 2020, and was an African Changemaker fellow, I-FAIR Fellow, Startup Energy Fellow, Because International Fellow, and many other fellowships.
