President Bola Tinubu has given the green light to the establishment of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), a groundbreaking step aimed at revolutionizing the transportation sector in Nigeria. The initiative aims to introduce over 11,500 new CNG-enabled vehicles and provide 55,000 CNG conversion kits for existing vehicles dependent on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), while simultaneously fostering local manufacturing, assembly, and extensive job creation, in line with the president’s directive.
The PCNGI encompasses a Comprehensive Adoption Strategy that includes key components such as the Empowering Workshops Programme with a Nationwide Network of Workshops. The primary focus will be on mass transit systems and student hubs, with an initial aim to significantly reduce transit costs for the general population in the near term.
To ensure the seamless integration of CNG utility within the existing midstream and downstream energy value chain, the PCNGI plans to establish workshops across all geopolitical zones and states. These workshops will provide essential kits and comprehensive training for newly employed staff, thus creating opportunities for technical skill development and job creation for Nigerians.
The nationwide network of workshops to be established through this initiative will enable widespread access and utilization of CNG technology and expertise, facilitating smoother transitions for vehicle owners and benefiting the Nigerian economy as a whole.
The PCNGI aims to achieve strategic objectives including the development of stakeholder-operated Intrastate Mass Transit systems based on CNG, support for states in adopting CNG buses for their Intrastate Mass Transit networks, deployment of CNG buses through private mass transit operators, incentivizing investment in CNG processing, distribution, and utilization, and delivering training and technology transfer to support after-sales services and maintenance.
President Tinubu’s focus on assembling CNG-enabled vehicles within the country is expected to stimulate economic growth, create employment opportunities, and enhance Nigeria’s automotive manufacturing capabilities. The initiative’s launch reaffirms the administration’s commitment to fostering a cleaner environment by reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy security through the utilization of domestic natural gas resources.