FG targets 1m CNG vehicles to cut transport fares

CNG-powered buses. Photo: FG

The Federal Government has renewed its drive to deploy one million compressed natural gas-powered vehicles across the country, directing officials to accelerate investments in refuelling infrastructure and vehicle conversions to reduce transportation costs.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, gave the directive in Abuja over the weekend while receiving progress reports from the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles and the Decade of Gas Secretariat.

Ekpo said the government must translate its autogas policy into tangible benefits for Nigerians, particularly lower transport fares following the removal of petrol subsidy.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s spokesman, Louis Ibah, Ekpo tasked the leadership of both bodies with identifying critical interventions, expanding infrastructure and strengthening programmes to increase nationwide adoption of compressed natural gas.

The statement read, “The Federal Government has pledged to intensify efforts to promote compressed natural gas as a cheaper alternative fuel for transportation, with a renewed focus on accelerating the rollout of one million CNG-powered vehicles across the country.

To this end, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has tasked the leadership of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles and the Decade of Gas Secretariat to focus on critical interventions, step up investments, expand CNG infrastructure and strengthen programmes to drive nationwide adoption.

CNG, which is generally cheaper than petrol on an energy-equivalent basis, has been promoted by the Federal Government as an alternative that could reduce transport operators’ fuel expenses and ease pressure on commuters. However, the benefits depend on the availability of refuelling stations, affordable vehicle conversion, reliable gas supply and operators passing savings on to passengers.

Ekpo said Nigeria’s abundant gas resources offered an opportunity to lower transportation costs, increase domestic gas consumption and stimulate economic growth.

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“Nigeria is a gas nation with a gas reserves index of over 80 yrs, and that is why we are talking about the Decade(s) of Gas,” he said.

He stressed the need to follow President Bola Tinubu’s directive to make transportation more affordable through CNG, adding that the government would continue to support the initiative.

“It is important that we listen to the directive of Mr. President to make transportation cheaper via CNG. We will continue to give you all the backing, to provide the necessary assistance to make sure we drive this project to a logical conclusion,” the minister said.

The Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles, Ismaeel Ahmed, said the initiative would intensify investments and programmes to expand refuelling infrastructure and increase the number of vehicles converted to run on gas.

He said the effort was aimed at making CNG more accessible to transport operators and helping reduce fares for millions of Nigerians.