Ondo State Government has entered into a partnership with ADMINSERV, an information technology company, to introduce electric vehicle buses and charging facilities as part of efforts to reduce the high cost of transportation in the state.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Akure and will begin with the deployment of five electric buses, each valued at N180 million, bringing the initial investment to N900 million.

The project will also involve the installation of charging stations at selected bus stops in Akure, with plans to extend the facilities to other local government areas across the state.

Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Transport, Olumuyiwa Ogunyemi, said the initiative was the first of its kind in Ondo State and would help reduce transportation costs drastically.

He explained that the charging stations would not be limited to the company’s buses, as other electric vehicle owners would also be able to access the facilities.

Ogunyemi said the state was adopting electric mobility alongside compressed natural gas, CNG, as part of measures to address the rising cost of transportation following the removal of fuel subsidy.

He added that the government was also developing CNG infrastructure at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, and opposite an NNPC facility in Ore to improve access to alternative fuel options across the state’s three senatorial districts.

Managing Director of ADMINSERV, Peter Nnamani, said the company would deploy an artificial intelligence-enabled application to improve mobility, monitor buses and drivers, and enhance security.

He said the initiative would address transportation costs, punctuality, environmental pollution and security through an integrated electric bus system and digital monitoring.

Nnamani stated that monthly transportation costs could drop from about N9,000 to between N5,000 and N6,000 per user under the proposed system.

He added that the buses would operate on scheduled routes to reduce waiting times and improve punctuality, while the project would create employment opportunities through the construction and management of charging facilities and the recruitment of drivers.