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How They Are Produced In ABIA State
A new chapter in Nigeria’s homegrown auto story is unfolding in Abia State. Roxettes Motors, formally trading as Roxettes Eco Drives Ltd, has moved from announcements and glossy concept images to assembling vehicles at a newly built facility in Obu-Aku Industrial City. The company says it intends to produce tens of thousands of cars a year, with a heavy focus on electric and CNG powered models. If it delivers, Roxettes will join Innoson and a handful of other local firms attempting to prove that Nigerian-made vehicles can go beyond nostalgia and meet modern mobility needs.
Roxettes emerged publicly in 2023 and 2024 as part of a wave of Nigerian firms pitching made in Nigeria vehicles that mix conventional engines with greener options such as electric, hybrid and CNG. The company’s campus, the self-styled Eco Drives Green Metropolis (EDGM) in Obu-Aku, is described on its site as a Free Trade Zone style industrial city intended to host assembly and conversion lines. Roxettes’ public rollout accelerated in 2024 when the firm announced plans for an assembly capacity of roughly 40,000 units per year, with a large share earmarked for EVs and CNG vehicles.
At the centre of Roxettes is Arc Dr Kaycee (Kelechi) Orji, identified in company materials and professional profiles as the founder and CEO. He is presented publicly as an industrialist, architect and humanitarian who has championed the Abia plant as both an economic investment and a regional jobs engine. He is also associated with KKH Group, a firm involved in engineering and sustainable infrastructure development. Local media reports and company releases show Roxettes engaging state institutions, for example delivering fleet vans to the Abia State House of Assembly and making donations to development bodies, as it builds local legitimacy.
Roxettes’ public showroom and press pieces list multiple model names and body styles, mixing passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The lineup promoted in 2024 and 2025 includes names such as Blaze X, a pickup or van variant heavily marketed for commercial fleets, Aero U75 Plus, Surge X, Lumen vx7 and the upscale Volta X. The company also advertises a CNG conversion capability, a potentially important product in Nigeria given the high cost of petrol and strong local interest in gas conversions. Roxettes’ website and social feeds show product photos, factory addresses and booking or test drive options.
Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) is the best known indigenous automaker in Nigeria and has been publicly developing and marketing EV models since 2024. Innoson’s EVs, for example the IVM EX02 and a family of IVM Link variants, have been promoted with claimed ranges in the 200 to 400 km band depending on model, and with an emphasis on compact, city-friendly packaging. That company’s brand has a longer track record in bus and utility vehicle manufacturing and is therefore often seen as the benchmark for local industrial credibility.
Roxettes’ positioning is slightly different. Its public messaging stresses a mix of EV, hybrid and CNG options and a high annual throughput of 40,000 units, an ambitious number that, if realised, would require a rapid scaling of supply chains, workforce and after sales infrastructure. Innoson, by contrast, has leaned into incremental EV releases backed by an existing manufacturing base, which may give it a practical edge in supply chain depth and consumer trust even as Roxettes attempts to win market share with competitive pricing and fleet deals. In short, Innoson may currently have the edge in brand familiarity and demonstrated EV specs, while Roxettes is positioning on volume, variety in CNG and EV, and an Abia-based industrial campus.
A functioning assembly plant that reaches scale will create direct jobs on the factory floor and indirect roles in parts suppliers, logistics and services in Abia and surrounding states. That kind of industrial activity is exactly what policymakers have chased for decades. If Roxettes succeeds at local assembly and partial localisation of parts, some models, especially light commercial vehicles like the Blaze X, could undercut fully imported alternatives on price and servicing costs. CNG conversions could also reduce running costs for high mileage operators. Having a domestic player focused on multiple powertrains such as EV, hybrid and CNG gives consumers options and forces competitors to improve value and after sales support.
However, the most immediate and glaring challenge for any EV push in Nigeria is power. Regular, reliable electricity is still a problem in many cities and nearly universal in rural areas only via generators. EV adoption requires charging networks, dependable mains power or hybrid business models such as battery swap and solar-assisted charging. Without robust public and private investment in charging stations and stable grid power, EV ownership could mean expensive home charging upgrades or heavy reliance on diesel generators, which defeats much of the environmental argument. This is a practical barrier Roxettes and competitors must confront.
Industry observers argue that part of Roxettes’ long-term success may lie in developing a network of public charging stations across the country. Plans are reportedly underway to work with energy partners and state governments to build solar-powered charging hubs in major cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Aba. These stations, according to insiders close to the company, could serve both individual owners and fleet operators, allowing drivers to recharge vehicles in under an hour. If successfully deployed, this network would not only boost confidence in owning EVs but also position Roxettes as the first Nigerian automaker to integrate nationwide charging solutions with vehicle production.
Such charging units, if placed strategically in public spaces, malls, highways, motor parks and petrol stations, could transform the perception of electric vehicles in Nigeria from luxury items to accessible means of transport. It could also reduce range anxiety, one of the biggest fears among potential EV buyers. Moreover, Roxettes is said to be exploring partnerships with independent power providers to create standalone solar and battery-powered charging units, particularly in areas with unreliable grid electricity.
Other negatives and risks still linger. There is supply chain dependence on imported battery cells, semiconductors and critical EV components that can drive up costs and complicate timelines. Affordability gaps are another issue, as EVs typically carry higher upfront costs than conventional cars; without subsidies or financing innovation, take-up may be limited to wealthier buyers or fleets. There is also the question of after sales and safety standards; to compete with imports, Roxettes must build credible service networks, parts availability and quality control at scale.
Roxettes’ next big tests are operational, meeting its claimed capacity ambitions, proving the reliability and range of its EVs in Nigerian conditions, and building credible after sales support. The company’s ties with state authorities and donations of fleet vehicles suggest a strategy of public sector anchoring, a pragmatic way to build initial volume. But long-term success will hinge on tackling electricity and infrastructure gaps, managing imported components, and convincing ordinary Nigerians that a locally made EV is practical, affordable and serviceable.
For now, Roxettes is a headline-worthy addition to Nigeria’s small but growing cluster of indigenous vehicle makers. It is ambitious, regionally rooted and product diverse, and its fate will say a lot about whether Nigeria can convert manufacturing promises into durable industrial outcomes in the green mobility era. The possibility of having Roxettes charging units in many parts of the country might just make the dream of sustainable, Nigerian-made mobility a reality sooner than expected.
By Benprince Ezeh
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