 I'll seal the breakfast and plus CV Africa. It's time for us to look at our second conversation. While the federal government of Nigeria has signed a memorandum of understanding with an Israeli and Japanese companies to commence assembling and manufacturing of environmentally friendly green electric and smart automobiles by 2023. The national agency for science and engineering infrastructure entered in that partnership with the Israeli and Japanese and Nigerian companies. So it means that it might just be good news for the Nigerian automobile industry. Israeli ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, disclosed this during a meeting in Abuja saying that we had entered a partnership which is a combination like I'd mentioned earlier on and the essence is that the Nigerian technology would help address many challenges affecting the transport sector and environmental sector in Nigeria. According to the stakeholders and proponents of this project, the purpose is to solve problems of Africa and that the world at large by providing electronic motorcycles, smarter to mobiles, the issue of field scarcity and field subsidy might just be a thing of the past because the program is green and environment friendly. So it would offer people a cheap way and a safe way to transport. It has a technology to ensure that these motorcycles are used for legal and appropriate purposes. Well, the executive vice-chairman of the Nigerian of the National Agency for Science and Engineering for Structure also loaded the collaboration. He said that this project has come to stay as it would be domesticated in Nigeria. According to him, this project would see Nigerian manufacturing of Nigerian made electrical vehicles in the nearest future. And so the first attempt to domesticate certain technologies in the country, especially automobile industry has not worked because of the continuous importation. I mean, that's a problem right there. But of course, this is an agreement that's been entered. Let's see how far all of this leaves us. We'll just get straight to the crux of the matter for the want of time. We have Muktak Mohamed who joins the conversation. Good morning, Muktak Mohamed. He's a financial analyst joining us right there from Houston, Texas. Come on in. All right. We also have Nika Guley who is also a public affairs analyst. Nika Guley, thank you so much for being part of the show. Thank you very much and good morning to our viewers. So I set off with Muktak Mohamed now. Do you think that we're ready for this development? I mean, smart automobiles, electronic vehicles and what have you, the green movement, especially where we can really boast of constant power. There are two things now, talking about green movement and also electronic vehicles. Thank you so much. If you say whether we're ready, you and I know that we are not ready for that immediately because we need to put a house in order. We're talking about infrastructure and you've just said one major criteria for an electric car which has to do with infrastructure and especially with power. And if you look at that, where we are today, we are not ready, but then you don't have to be completely ready for a smart technology to take off. You could even give those that are ready, they still have their issues. So we need to look at starting then where, you know, Niger have a way of devising a lot of issues to address their problem. Like if you look at the power issue, we are not coming up with solar system, we come up with inverters, we come up with all sorts to be able to manage the situation. So I think that was going to happen to the electric cars if eventually we have any need for it. But as it stands now, I don't think it's something that we can probably say is, we are ready because again, and there's some Nigerians that are already there that are trying to build up electric cars, even if it's not electric cars directly, they're trying to build up motorcycles and have the government been able to empower them or enrich them or support them. I don't think the government have done that, but we can easily want to sign a memorandum of understanding with them, foreign and then not taking construction into our own people too, that are busy trying to come up with this technology, even in the midst of lack of infrastructure. The only good thing I see there is because it's green and you remember the energy, the global crisis in terms of climate change. And that's only what I see that is good. They are taking a look at that, we could say, okay, fine. But outside of that, I don't think it will address our transportation problem our transportation is so huge that has not only to do with the vehicles, it has to do with major infrastructure, it has to do with good road network. And so I don't think that will be able to address our transportation crisis. And that does not think it will address our subsidies claim because when you look at these vehicles, then you have to say how many Nigerians can be able to afford it. Because presently now with the government policy of the automobile industry, a lot of Nigerians cannot even afford fairly use car because those policies are not helping the common man to acquire cars. Interesting, I'll come back to Nick Aguley. I don't know who can not be aware because he's safely in Houston, Texas. But for those of us who are still here, I'm sure we remember the videos. Nick, are you there, please? It seems we've lost, Nick, are you there? Yes, I'm here. Okay, so fantastic, sir. I don't know if you saw but it was a picture, video, some user generated video of someone pushing a Tesla on third mainland bridge. I don't know if any of you saw that. You know, the Tesla went off and they had to push it. What did you see? Sorry? Did you see the video? Oh, okay, it happened, I think last year. Believe it or not, they had to push a Tesla on third mainland bridge. I think that says it all. But Nick, for this plan, it seems like the federal government wants to partner with Israel and Japan to produce electronic occadas. Do we need more occadas in the country? Electric or petrol or what? Do we need more occadas? Is that a convenient means of transportation for the masses? It is not the convenient means of transportation for the masses. The most effective and efficient means of public transportation is railways. For a country like Nigeria of 200 million people, we should be moving people and goods on the race. Because, you know, you look at the place like Lagos, where you're speaking from. I lived in Lagos for many years. The whole of that traffic that is on third mainland bridge every day going into the island in the morning and the same traffic coming out of the island at close of work. Only a few trains, just a few trains will carry the whole of that traffic away from the road. Only a few trains. If you look at all the trucks that are on the roads, either within the cities or between one city or the other, only a few goods trains, few goods trains will move all of that traffic off the roads. So, in fact, it's only imaginable how Nigerians go about without the railways. You know, my good friend Mukta, who is in the U.S., U.S. is one developed nation that has not taken to the railways like that. But that is because, you know, the U.S., the cost of petrol in the U.S. is quite cheap, cheaper relatively compared to like in the U.K. where I am here now. And the U.S. people, they like to drive their cars. You know, they can drive their cars for several days from one state to the other. But in other nations, you know, like in the U.K. where I am, the railways is the main means of transportation. But that being the case, if these orchardas come, I mean, people say half bread is better than no. If it is the orchardas that are coming, then that is okay. This MOU that has been signed, I have taken a look at the news item. And it potents good news for the nation because number one, apart from the environment you're talking about, that will be greener. You know, there is possibility of job creation now. So, job will be created. The possibility of technological transfer, between the Israeli and Japanese companies to our local people, you know, then there is of course the possibility of these people bringing in foreign direct investment because if they have to set up the factories and all of that, monies are going to come in. So, to that extent, it's okay. But as it is usual with everything in Nigeria, when the government is involved, it's a problem. So, for me, this is... We're almost out of time now, but a lot of people, I mean, the technology transfer would have been quite exciting. It would be a plus for us. But to be very realistic, no nation is willing to transfer technology because it's a competitive advantage for them. And that's why we have suffered as a continent over time because we have not decided to be innovative and use science and technology. So, we constantly think that there will be, you know, transfer of technology waiting. But who wants you to, who wants to transfer their technology and knowledge to you? So, you become dependent and not dependent on them for the product that they have to manufacture. So, that's on the one hand. But quickly, let's see if we can have Muktak Mohamed share his thoughts on this one. We have a sector that has complained about foreign exchange being a big deal for, you know, the broadband to establish, I mean, manufacturers to come up and set up their companies, especially for made in Nigerian phones. That's a recent concern. So, what becomes of this company, you know, in terms of foreign exchange, looking at 2023? They were talking about how they said they will be doing it. They were assembling those cars in Nigeria. And for me, I think that would be good. Like he said about job creation also, environmental conditions also will be friendly. But again, when you talk about effects, you know why we are having those challenges because we refuse to do the radical economic change that we need to do in the area of removal of subsidy. I think when we do that, we'll be fine. But again, the effects challenge is not going to last forever. We can't say because of the effects challenge, we're not going to do anything. We have to wait for the effects challenge to be over before we begin to think about those cars coming in. But like he said also, we are looking at our motorcycles and which I think for me is a no-brainer because I mean, we are even suffering it all over. Lagos is planning to prepare for the type of motorcycles but the states are because of the terrorist consign and even government, even the federal government, thinking about the type of motorcycles. So how will that create the kind of job that we are looking at and will be able to address the security challenges before they say they are bringing in those motorcycles? So for me, it's not about the effects challenge. We can't say because of effects, we are not going to do anything again because that's how it's going to be. It's not going to be like that forever. But again, we need to look at the holistic picture of this and when I talk about the holistic situation, we're talking about the challenges that have to do with infrastructure, the challenges that have to do with security, which is key. And again, this MOU, we don't think it will come into stand but I remember that Nigeria is good as any MOU that take forever to take off. So for me, I'm not really excited about it yet. I'm only excited because we are thinking green but if you look at the start of the Indian Valley Infrastructure Challenge, it's nothing to be excited about. All right, well, that's it this morning. We have to go. Thank you so much, gentlemen, for being part of the breakfast. You're welcome. Thank you very much. I'll have a nice day. Thank you very much. All right, interesting. So much to talk about as far as going green is concerned. Some people feel it's an illusion when you talk about electric vehicles because you have to get electricity from somewhere. And how the electricity is produced is also something that could affect the environment negatively. So it's a big conversation but we see how that goes. That's the sides of our package. Please follow us on the social media pages plus TV Africa on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as well as YouTube. And on YouTube, you can also find us at plus TV Africa Lifestyle. We have all our content uploaded on there. Well, that's it. Thank you so much for being part of the show. I am Mesiboko. Have a fantastic Monday. And my name is Kofi Bartels. We return tomorrow. Good morning.