Drivers of Electric Vehicle Adoption in Nigeria

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) represent a significant advancement in automotive technology, utilizing electricity as a power source in place of traditional fossil fuels and incorporating sophisticated navigation and autopilot systems. These vehicles align with multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by offering a more environmentally sustainable alternative to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). Despite their potential, the adoption of EVs in developing nations such as Nigeria remains constrained. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework is expanded in this study by including important enablers such as poor infrastructure, problems with affordability, and government support in the broader category of facilitating conditions. Additionally, it scrutinizes variables such as trust, performance expectations, social influences, and network externalities to identify the primary determinants influencing Nigerian consumers' propensity to adopt EVs. Results show that the percentage increase of H6 (facilitating conditions → behavioral intentions) compared to H5 (network externalities → behavioral intentions) is approximately 32.35%, indicating that traditional drivers significantly influence individuals' willingness to purchase EVs and are particularly strong factors in adoption decisions. The paper concludes with a discussion of these findings and proposes strategies for future research to further explore the barriers and drivers of EV adoption in Nigeria.