In a continent often described as lagging behind in industrial innovation, Dr. Sam Gbenga Faleye is rewriting the narrative—quietly, strategically, and decisively. The Nigeria-born, US-based medical doctor has etched his name into history as the founder of sub-Saharan Africa’s first electric-vehicle-only assembly plant, a milestone that places Nigeria firmly on the global electric mobility map.
At a time when climate change, fuel price volatility, and urban congestion are reshaping transportation worldwide, Faleye’s company, Saglev Electromobility, is positioning Africa not as a late adopter—but as an active participant in the clean-energy future.
A Vision Born Outside the Auto Industry
Unlike many automotive pioneers, Dr. Faleye did not rise through the ranks of car manufacturing. His professional roots are in medicine, having earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Ilorin before completing his Internal Medicine residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Yet Faleye’s career trajectory reflects a rare blend of scientific training, entrepreneurial instinct, and long-term strategic thinking. While practicing medicine in the United States, he simultaneously built ventures in real estate investment and securities trading, gaining deep exposure to capital markets, asset management, and scalable business models.
That multidisciplinary background would later become critical in tackling one of Africa’s most complex challenges: sustainable transportation at scale.
The Birth of Saglev: A Global Company With African Roots
Dr. Faleye founded Saglev Inc. in Delaware, USA, with a clearly articulated mission—to accelerate the transition from fossil-fuel vehicles to zero-emission electric vehicles in emerging markets, starting with Africa.
Rather than targeting private luxury buyers alone, Saglev adopted a fleet-first strategy, focusing on:
Ride-hailing platforms
Corporate vehicle fleets
Government transport systems
Mass-transit operators
This approach mirrors global EV adoption patterns, where fleet electrification often precedes widespread consumer adoption due to predictable usage, centralized charging, and faster return on investment.
According to industry analyses frequently cited by platforms like Nairametrics, this model significantly reduces the upfront adoption barrier in developing economies.
Imota, Lagos: Where History Is Being Assembled
In December 2023, Saglev officially commenced operations at its electric vehicle assembly plant in Imota, Ikorodu, Lagos State—a moment widely recognized as historic within Nigeria’s automotive and energy sectors.
What sets the facility apart is not merely its existence, but its singular focus.
> Saglev’s Imota facility is the first automotive assembly plant in sub-Saharan Africa dedicated exclusively to electric vehicles.
The plant received full approval from Nigeria’s National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), the regulatory body overseeing automotive manufacturing under the country’s automotive industrial policy.
The facility operates on both:
Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) assembly
Completely Knocked Down (CKD) assembly
This dual capability allows Saglev to localize production progressively—boosting skills transfer, job creation, and local value addition over time.
Strategic Partnerships With Global Auto Giants
Saglev’s success is deeply anchored in its technical partnerships, most notably with Dongfeng Motor Corporation, one of China’s largest and most technologically advanced automobile manufacturers.
Through this partnership, Saglev assembles and introduces a diverse lineup of electric vehicles tailored for African roads and use cases, including:
VOYAH luxury electric sedans and SUVs
R6 electric pickup trucks, designed for rugged commercial use
M-HERO 917 electric SUVs, targeting high-performance and security applications
Electric BRT buses, built specifically for public transport systems
This diversified product portfolio enables Saglev to serve multiple market segments simultaneously, from executive mobility to mass transit.
Manufacturing Capacity and Scalability
Saglev’s Lagos assembly plant currently boasts a baseline production capacity of approximately 2,500 vehicles per year. However, the facility was designed with scalability in mind.
By expanding operational shifts and optimizing assembly lines, Saglev projects a potential scale-up to 10,000 electric vehicles annually—a figure that would place Nigeria among Africa’s leading EV manufacturing hubs.
Beyond vehicles, this scale signals broader economic impact:
Skilled and semi-skilled employment
Local supplier ecosystem development
Technical training and industrial know-how transfer
Solving Nigeria’s Biggest EV Problem: Charging Infrastructure
One of the most frequently cited barriers to electric vehicle adoption in Nigeria is charging infrastructure—and Saglev is addressing it head-on.
In collaboration with energy providers, retail chains, and infrastructure partners, Saglev is actively deploying EV charging stations across strategic urban corridors.
This integrated approach—manufacturing vehicles while simultaneously building charging infrastructure—aligns with global best practices observed in EV-leading markets like China and parts of Europe.
Industry observers note that without such parallel infrastructure development, EV adoption stalls regardless of vehicle availability.
Why Saglev Matters Beyond Nigeria
Saglev Electromobility’s impact extends far beyond Lagos or Nigeria’s borders.
It represents:
A proof of concept that advanced automotive manufacturing is viable in West Africa
A blueprint for public-private collaboration in clean transportation
A critical step toward reducing Africa’s dependence on imported fossil fuels
With transportation accounting for a significant share of urban emissions, EV adoption offers African cities a rare opportunity to leapfrog directly into cleaner mobility systems.
A New Archetype of African Leadership
Dr. Gbenga Faleye embodies a new generation of African leaders—globally trained, locally committed, and future-oriented.
His journey from hospital wards in Ilorin to assembly lines in Imota underscores a powerful message: Africa’s industrial future will be built by individuals who combine global exposure with deep local insight.
At a time when conversations around Africa often dwell on deficits, Saglev tells a different story—one of innovation, ambition, and execution.
The Road Ahead
As fuel subsidies disappear, climate policies tighten, and urban populations surge, electric vehicles are no longer optional—they are inevitable.
Saglev Electromobility, under Dr. Faleye’s leadership, is positioning Nigeria not as a passive recipient of this global shift, but as an active producer and exporter of clean mobility solutions.
History may one day record this moment as the point when Africa stopped importing the future—and began assembling it.
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