President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate deployment of about 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits across Nigeria as part of efforts to reduce transportation costs and expand alternative energy options.
The directive comes amid rising fuel prices linked to global tensions, including the conflict involving United States, Israel and Iran.
The Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed this after meeting with the President.
Ahmed said the President is closely monitoring global developments and their implications for Nigeria’s energy market, particularly the impact of the Middle East conflict on petrol and diesel prices.
According to him, Tinubu has mandated the initiative to accelerate the rollout of CNG infrastructure and alternative mobility solutions nationwide.
“The President is always keen to know what is going on, especially with the war in the Middle East and the rising cost of petrol and diesel,” Ahmed said.
“He wanted to know what we are doing at Pi-CNG and EV to scale up the availability of gas and CNG across the country so that people can enjoy lower transportation costs.”
Ahmed explained that the government plans to deploy the 100,000 conversion kits within the next two to three weeks in collaboration with various stakeholders.
The kits will enable vehicle owners, including tricycle operators, to convert their engines to run on gas instead of petrol.
“So we have about 100,000 kits that we’re going to deploy in the next two to three weeks. The conversion centres will all be bustling with a lot of activities,” he said.
He added that the initiative will also fast-track the development of refuelling infrastructure and electric mobility charging stations across the country, particularly along the Northern transport corridor.
Ahmed disclosed that about 77 CNG refilling stations are currently at different stages of development nationwide.
He cited Kano as an example where two Liquefied Compressed Natural Gas stations are already operational, while additional daughter stations are under construction.
According to him, the government plans to establish a chain of refuelling stations along major transport routes stretching from Lokoja through Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano to Maiduguri.
Ahmed also revealed that the initiative is partnering with local and international manufacturers to support vehicle conversions and the local assembly of CNG-powered and electric vehicles in Nigeria.
He said several manufacturers have already expressed interest in establishing assembly plants in the country, a move expected to boost job creation and strengthen the domestic automotive industry.
The programme is also collaborating with the Rural Electrification Agency to deploy solar-powered charging stations to support electric vehicles, especially in off-grid communities.
According to Ahmed, while Nigerians are increasingly importing electric vehicles, the government’s priority is to provide the infrastructure needed to support their operation nationwide.
