‘Unpredictable’ election in Africa’s largest economy is set to resonate around the world

Published

2 years ago

February 22, 2023

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ABUJA, Niger,a – Feb. 18, 2023: Supporters of Nigeria’s Labour Party parade in the streets during a global march for the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi ahead of the Nigerian presidential election scheduled for February 25, 2023.

KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty Images

Nigerians head to the polls on Saturday, with an unprecedented youth turnout expected against a backdrop of widespread insecurity and economic hardship.

After 24 years of uninterrupted democracy since ending military dictatorship in 1999, Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy is conducting its seventh election.

Nigeria is at a pivotal juncture amid record unemployment and inflation, a massive debt burden, fuel shortages, worsening security conditions, endemic corruption and crumbling public services.

The record 93.5 million Nigerians registered to vote will choose among 18 candidates to replace President Muhammadu Buhari, who has reached the two-term limit.

Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s president, speaks during the U.S.-Africa Business Forum in New York.

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The aspiring successor chosen by the ruling All Progressives Congress party, 70-year-old former Governor of Lagos State Bola Tinubu, is a frontrunner alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, and Peter Obi, a relative outsider from the Labor Party.

Obi’s disruptive and decentralized campaign has resonated with young and professional voters disillusioned by the two main parties, and some polls now have him leading the race.

Leena Koni Hoffmann, associate fellow of the Africa Programme at Chatham House, told CNBC on Monday that the presidential election will be the “most unpredictable” since the transition to civilian rule.

“We haven’t had these technologies shaping Nigeria’s elections before, and we’ve never had a three-way race before, and the context is not primed for an easy incumbent win,” Koni Hoffmann explained. The Independent National Electoral Commission is rolling out an unprecedented technological innovations to ensure a free and fair election.

ABUJA, Nigeria – Feb. 20, 2023: Former South African President Thabo Mbeki speaks to media. The Commonwealth of Nations sent 16 observers for the presidential and governorship elections to be held on 25 February and 11 March in Nigeria.

Adam Abu-Bashal/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

During a period in which West Africa has been beset by coups and violent extremism, Hoffmann added that the region “needs Nigeria to have a credible election.”

A deluge of international observers arrives this week, including a mission led by former Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and a Commonwealth of Nations delegation headed by former South African President Thabo Mbeki. The U.S. has also announced visa bans on individuals identified as undermining confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Demographics

Nigeria has one of the world’s fastest-growing populations — currently near 220 million and forecast to double by 2050. It also has one of the world’s youngest average populations, with 42% of citizens under the age of 15 and a median age of just over 18, the UN estimates.

Political engagement has spiked in recent years, amid deteriorating prospects for Nigeria’s youth — eras of economic growth have not expanded opportunities, social inequality has increased, and youth unemployment hit 42.5%, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Almost 40% of registered voters are between 18 and 34, according to INEC.

IBADAN, Nigeria – Feb. 16, 2023: Supporters of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), parade during the party’s presidential campaign in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Adekunle Ajayi/NurPhoto via Getty Images

“Recent years have been particularly brutal for young people in Nigeria, having to live through two recessions and a failing economy and with inflation in double digits and the impact of food inflation,” Koni Hoffmann said.

Four in 10 Nigerians experience monetary deprivation and more than six out of 10 are “multidimensionally poor,” the National Bureau of Statistics finds.

“The kind of social mobility and independence that you would project for yourself in your early twenties, the last couple of years haven’t allowed young people that kind of space for pursuing opportunity, for self-determination, so that explains a lot of the frustration and discontent,” Koni Hoffman said.

Economy

First Lady Aisha Muhammadu Buhari in September apologized to Nigerians for the economic problems and growing insecurity they have experienced since her husband was elected in 2015. Alongside the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, Koni Hoffmann noted “missed opportunities” and “self-inflicted crises” under Buhari’s regime.

In 2019, the government closed goods movement through Nigeria’s borders with neighboring Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, ostensibly to stem smuggling of rice and other agricultural goods.

Economists panned the decision, which Koni Hoffmann suggested rendered Nigeria and its neighbors more vulnerable to the damage of the pandemic.

The administration has come under fire for its multiple exchange rate system, aimed at defending the domestic naira currency by artificially inflating its value. Critics argue that such interventions heighten volatility by driving greater fluctuations in price discovery.

The oil sector accounts for more than 80% of national budgetary revenues, leaving Abuja highly susceptible to oil price variations and low production due to large scale crude theft.

KANO, Nigeria – Feb. 9, 2023: Supporters carry banner of candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and running mate Ifeanyi Okowa during a campaign rally in Kano, northwest Nigeria.

PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images

Tinubu’s foreign exchange policies are unlikely to deviate from those of the current administration, analysts say, while Abubakar and Obi propose more liberal economic measures and diversification, alongside greater fiscal prudence.

“No matter who wins the race to be Nigeria’s next president, the public debt-to-GDP ratio is likely to remain on an upwards path in the near-term, but victory for an opposition candidate could make the fiscal outlook considerably brighter further down the line,” said Virág Fórizs, Africa economist at Capital Economics.

“Opposition parties’ fiscal discipline pledges put Mr. Abubakar and Mr. Obi in a better position to get Nigeria’s fiscal house in order.”

Fórizs concluded, “The upshot is that, from an economic standpoint, the polls offer a choice between marginal steps away from growth-sapping policies and a more meaningful shift towards pro-market reforms that could unlock Nigeria’s economic potential down the line but involve near-term economic pain.”

Security

Buhari took office vowing to tackle Islamist militant organization Boko Haram, whose insurgency killed thousands and displaced millions.

Government forces seemingly succeeded, reclaiming large swathes of territory from the jihadist group. However, the extremist contingent splintered into competing groups in the north, complicating the challenge facing the incoming president.

Meanwhile, cattle bandits terrorize the north-central and northwest states, secessionists in the southeast clash with police and cattle herders battle farmers in “middle belt” states.

The Council on Foreign Relations Security Tracker documented around 7,000 violent deaths in Nigeria in 2022, down from 9,000 in 2021. It also confirmed an increase in state violence against civilians.

ABUJA, Nigeria – Oct. 20, 2021: A young woman stand in front of riot policemen during a protest to commemorate one year anniversary of EndSars, a protest movement against police brutality at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.

KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty Images

This came to a head in late 2020, when thousands of young people demonstrated countrywide against police brutality. Security forces sought to violently quash the protests, culminating in the Lekki Toll Gate massacre in October 2020.

Peter Obi, the 61-year-old former governor of Anambra State, rode that wave with a vision for policy and governance reforms, including proposals for tackling deep-rooted insecurity and corruption, while promoting social and political mobility.

“The dominant parties did not seem to provide the kinds of channels or vessels that young people wanted, so they have turned to Peter Obi, who is the nearest proximate for them, for how various sections of young people in Nigeria would like to remake the nation’s politics,” said Hoffmann.

Environment

Mack Trucks, Terex Utilities partner on electric bucket truck

Published

3 hours ago

March 1, 2025

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Mack Trucks, Terex Utilities partner on electric bucket truck

Mack Trucks and Terex Utilities have announced plans to reveal the next generation of their zero-emissions utility bucket trucks at Work Truck Week in Indiana later this month – and it looks fantastic!

Co-developed by Terex Utilities and Mack Trucks on a Mack MD7 Electric Class 7 chassis, the new Terex bucket truck is a zero-emission utility capable of traveling longer distances and hauling more cargo wherever it’s needed to upgrade, or even restore power where it’s needed.

To make it work, Terex installed an Optima HR55 aerial device that draws power from a HyPower SmartPTO (Power Take Off) from Viatec. The SmartPTO replaces a conventional, mechanical PTO that’s powered by an internal combustion generator. In so doing, it avoids a loud idling engine while reducing utility workers’ exposure to toxic exhaust fumes and the heavy particulate emissions matter with idling diesels (even with Tier V standards).

“Our collaboration with Mack Trucks represents continued progress in zero-emissions utility vehicles,” explains Tyler Schwingler, Terex Utilities product marketing manager. “By combining our industry-leading Optima HR55 aerial device with Mack’s innovative MD7 Electric chassis, we’re providing utility companies with a solution that doesn’t compromise on performance or capability while supporting their sustainability goals.”

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In addition helping meet the company’s ESG goals, the Mack MD Electric is also equipped with the advanced 3rd Eye digital platform, which integrates AI-driven camera systems to enhance safety and productivity. With up to six HD cameras that display a real-time, 460-degree view on a 7-inch in-cab monitor. The bird’s-eye view all but eliminates blind spots when reversing and moving through high-traffic job sites.

“This electric bucket truck represents the next natural step in our commitment to sustainable transportation solutions,” says George Fotopoulos, vice president of E-mobility at Mack Trucks. “Our lightweight electric chassis provides the capability to handle more demanding applications, and when combined with Terex’ expertise in utility equipment, we’re delivering a solution that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in zero tailpipe emissions utility vehicles.”

Terex will be bringing its new Mack MD Electric-based utility bucket truck to this year’s Work Truck Week at the Indianapolis Convention Center March 8-11.

Electrek’s Take

If all this news sounds familiar, that just means you’ve been paying attention. We covered the HyPower SmartPTO a few months ago in a story about Enwin Utilities. Those trucks were based on a Class 7 (33,000 lb. GVWR) International eMV Series BEV.

The International is a fine truck, of course – but the Mack MD Electric raises the bar a bit with more range than the eMV and more rear axle capacity than anything else in its class. The MD also has enough commonality with its HD cabs and chassis that parts availability seems to be top of the class. Pair that with parent company Volvo’s global reputation for quality and progressive ideologies and, well … let’s just say we all have our favorites.

SOURCE | PHOTOS: Mack Trucks, via TruckNews, Work Truck Online.

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Environment

E-quipment highlight: Tadano eGR-1000XLL-1 EVOLT 100 ton electric crane

Published

5 hours ago

March 1, 2025

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E-quipment highlight: Tadano eGR-1000XLL-1 EVOLT 100 ton electric crane

Tadano's 100-ton electric rough-terrain crane delivers the same capability as the diesel model

Tadano first showed its massive, 100-ton electric rough-terrain crane at last year’s ConExpo, promising the same lifting capacity as its 100-ton diesel counterpart. Now, we know a little more about this big lifter.

Officially dubbed the Tadano eGR-1000XLL-1 EVOLT, the big mobile crane ships with six lithium ion battery packs offering up to 226 kWh of power. Tadano says that’s good enough for up to seven hours of continuous operation in a single spot, or or up five hours of continuous operation and five-and-a-half miles of driving before it runs out of juice.

Re-juicing (?) the big crane is achieved with a standard CCS/J1772 DC fast charger with speeds up to 150 kW. That’s enough, Tadano says, to fully charge the eGR-1000XLL-1’s batteries in under two hours, or overnight on an 80A 220/240V AC charger … but all that is besides the point.

Grid-connected power for 24/7 use

The EVOLT’s real superpower isn’t its big battery or 100-ton lifting capacity. Instead, it’s the crane’s ability to operate 24/7 when it’s on grid power. If the job site loses power or power has to be shut down as part of regular operations, the crane can keep things moving under battery power for up to seven hours. It can even be connected to mobile charging stations if seven hours isn’t enough, or driven a few miles back to grid power to be charged up.

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And, with 4x4x4 drive, those few miles don’t have to be paved … or even cleared, probably, making the big Tadano perfect for disaster recovery efforts.

“We are very confident in the investment we’ve made in this crane,” said Dean Barley, president and CEO at Tadano America of the 100-ton-capacity machine. “This crane has been tested and retested. We wanted to make sure that the first fully electric rough terrain (RT) crane in North America meets all the requirements of the market.”

Being fully electric, the EVOLT is quiet enough to work at night in urban and sensitive environments – and, because it produces no exhaust emissions, can also be tasked with indoor work in hangars and stadiums where diesel emissions would quickly pose a substantial health risk.

Speaking of health risks, swinging up to 100 tons of material around can be dangerous work. That’s where Tadano’s Lift Visualizer and AML Crane Control safety systems come into play:

LIFT VISUALIZER
The eGR-1000XLL-1 also offers Lift Visualizer to enhance safety and efficiency. This feature utilizes a suspended load monitoring camera, allowing operators to monitor suspended loads directly from above. Particularly useful in blind spots such as rooftop work, the Lift Visualizer pulls critical lift information from the AML control system and displays it on the video screen, including radius, capacities and load, among others, to improve efficiency and safety for the operator.

AML CRANE CONTROL
The AML Control System delivers dependable crane control and monitoring solutions, ensuring safe and efficient performance during crane operations. This system incorporates the latest advancements from Tadano rough terrain cranes, featuring an enhanced operator interface, a broad range of functionalities and the renowned reliability and ease of use characteristic of Tadano products. The system facilitates time and cost savings through straightforward on-board diagnostics, improved settings and easily adjustable lifting limits.

TADANO

In addition to offering the ability for construction crews to bid on work they simply couldn’t get without an electric option, the company says its new EVOLT models will reduce operating costs on an annual basis by about 35% compared to the diesel-powered version of the same crane. That estimate includes costs of fuel and electricity, as well as maintenance and downtime costs at an estimated 1,200 engine hours per year.

You can check out the full specs on the eGR-1000XLL-1 EVOLT, below, then let us know what you think of Tadano’s latest HDEV in the comments.

Tadano eGR-1000XLL-1 full specs

Capacity Class	90.7 tonnes	100 tons
Main Boom Length	max 51 meters	167 ft.
Boom Extension	max 17.7 meters	58 ft.
Max. Tip Height	68.3 meters	224 ft.
Outrigger Bases	7.33 x 7.33 meters	24 x24 ft.
Hoist Line Pull	9,090 kg	20,040 lbs.
Max. Radius	57.91 meters	190 ft.
Dimensions	15.18 m L	50 ft.
	3.31 m W	10′ 10″
	3.74 m H	12′ 4″
Axles2	2
Drive	4x4x4

SOURCE | IMAGES: Tadano.

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Environment

Massachusetts launches a two-year V2X pilot program

Published

17 hours ago

March 1, 2025

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Massachusetts launches a two-year V2X pilot program

Kia EV9 Massachusetts V2X pilot — Kia EV9 (Source: Kia)

Massachusetts is launching a first-of-its-kind statewide vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot program. This two-year initiative, backed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), aims to deploy 100 bidirectional chargers to homes, school buses, municipal, and commercial fleet participants across the state.

These bidirectional chargers will enable EVs to serve as mobile energy storage units, collectively providing an estimated 1.5 MW of new storage capacity. That means EVs won’t just be getting power – they’ll be giving it back to the grid, helping to balance demand and support renewable energy use. The program is also focused on ensuring that low-income and disadvantaged communities have access to this cutting-edge tech.

The Massachusetts pilot is one of the largest state-led V2X initiatives in the US and is designed to tackle key challenges in deploying bidirectional charging technology. By strategically placing these chargers in a variety of settings, the program aims to identify and resolve barriers to wider adoption of V2X technology.

Massachusetts EV owners and fleet operators enrolled in the program will get bidirectional chargers capable of both vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and backup power operations at no cost. Here’s what they stand to gain:

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No-cost charging infrastructure: Bidirectional charging stations and installation are fully covered for participants.
Grid resilience: With an estimated 1.5 MW of new flexible and distributed storage assets, the program strengthens Massachusetts’ energy infrastructure.
Clean energy integration: V2G technology allows EVs to charge when renewable energy is available and discharge stored energy when it’s not, supporting the state’s clean energy goals.
Backup power: EV batteries can be used as backup power sources during outages.
Revenue opportunities: Some participants can earn money by sending stored energy back to the grid.

Clean energy solutions firm Resource Innovations and vehicle-grid integration tech company The Mobility House are leading the program’s implementation. “With the charging infrastructure provided through this program, we’re eliminating financial barriers and enabling school districts, homeowners, and fleets to access reliable backup power,” said Kelly Helfrich of Resource Innovations. “We aim to create a scalable blueprint for V2X programs nationwide.”

“Bidirectional charging benefits vehicle owners by providing backup power and revenue opportunities while strengthening the grid for the entire community,” added Russell Vare of The Mobility House North America.

The program is open for enrollment now through June 2025. For more details, visit the MassCEC V2X Program webpage. A list of eligible bidirectional vehicles can be found on that page.

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