The Federal Government has initiated a nationwide rollout of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits, aiming to accelerate the transition of vehicles from petrol and diesel to CNG.
Mr. Micheal Oluwagbemi, Program Director of the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGi), announced this development during a tour and distribution of kits at six CNG conversion centres in Abuja.
The centres visited include NIPCO Oil and Gas Station on Airport Road, Kia Motors in Utako, Mijo Gas Auto in Jahi, ABG CNG in Kubwa, Bovas Filling Station in Wuse Zone 5, and C&L Mart Energy Solutions Ltd in Lokogoma.
Oluwagbemi highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s CNG initiative aims to offer a more affordable and environmentally friendly fueling option for Nigerians.
“The President has pledged to provide one million conversion kits at no cost for commercial vehicles, and at discounted rates for private vehicles,” he said. “This initiative is designed to help moderate transportation costs nationwide over the coming years.”
He acknowledged the technical and logistical challenges involved in distributing and installing the kits, stressing the importance of ensuring safety and reliability in the process.
The federal government has collaborated with over 75 conversion partners across eight states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Kogi, FCT, and Kaduna, with plans to extend the programme to nine additional states: Kwara, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Kano, and Niger within the next six to eight weeks.
Oluwagbemi noted that while the kits are currently not manufactured in Nigeria, efforts are underway to support local manufacturers to boost domestic production.
“Our goal is to shift the nation’s reliance from petrol and diesel, which are financially draining the economy,” he added.
Mrs. Omolara Obileye, Coordinator of Business Development and Strategy for the initiative, stated that the program is expected to reduce fuel dependency. She emphasized that while commercial transport operators will receive free conversions, private vehicle owners will incur partial costs based on vehicle size and configuration.
“We have established over 12 conversion centers in the FCT and plan to expand this network,” Obileye said.
Representatives from the conversion centres praised the federal government for the initiative, noting its potential to alleviate the challenges faced by Nigerians.
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