The future of Nigerian transportation was officially plugged in today at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, as Nord Group launched Tavet Automobiles, its wholly-owned electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary. Tavet, a proudly Nigerian EV brand, is positioned to disrupt the automotive landscape, moving the nation beyond fossil fuels and into a sustainable, domestically-manufactured electric era.
The grand unveiling, held this afternoon, brought industry leaders and stakeholders together to witness the debut of Tavet’s initial fleet: the Luto (an urban EV sedan), the Garent (a luxury EV), and the Vant (a logistics EV). The three models signify Tavet’s strategy to address Nigeria’s mobility needs across personal, executive, and commercial segments from the onset.
The Vision: More Than Just Vehicles
TAVET is the brainchild of Nord Motion CEO, Oluwatobi Ajayi, who has long championed the concept of a homegrown, integrated automotive ecosystem. Ajayi described Tavet not merely as a product line but as the “next step in our journey to build a fully integrated ecosystem for sustainable mobility.”
This is a critical distinction. Tavet’s mandate extends far beyond selling cars. It encompasses the assembly, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and after-sales support of its electric vehicles. This comprehensive approach is designed to tackle the biggest hurdles to EV adoption in Nigeria: infrastructure and maintenance. By committing to developing charging stations, battery maintenance programs, and after-sales service centers, Tavet aims to make EV ownership both practical and aspirational for Nigerians.
Pricing and Positioning for the Future
Industry insiders view Tavet’s launch as a groundbreaking step toward democratizing electric mobility in West Africa. The first-generation models are strategically priced to offer flexibility to a wide consumer base:
One model is priced at ₦16 million ($11,134.00).
The premium model is available at ₦32 million ($22,268.00).
This structured pricing enables consumers to select vehicles based on their budgets and specific performance requirements, making EVs more accessible to a broader segment of the Nigerian middle class. Crucially, the company is focusing on producing vehicles engineered to withstand Nigeria’s unique road conditions while delivering world-class efficiency.
An African Industrial Revolution
The launch of Tavet aligns perfectly with the global movement toward eco-friendly transportation and positions Nigeria as a potential leader in the regional green mobility revolution. This initiative directly addresses climate change concerns while simultaneously stimulating Nigeria’s industrial and technological growth.
In a nation that is steadily shifting away from imported refined products—as evidenced by recent reports of major players like Oando suspending fuel imports—the move into EV manufacturing by a local brand is a powerful display of economic and technical sovereignty.
As global automotive giants race toward electric futures, Nord Motion’s bold move underscores Africa’s readiness to not only join the conversation but to manufacture its own destiny. Tavet is poised to be the cornerstone brand that drives that essential transformation across West Africa.
