NEWS
FG Targets One Million CNG Vehicles To Reduce Transport Fares
FG Targets One Million CNG Vehicles To Reduce Transport Fares
Federal Government renews push to deploy one million compressed natural gas-powered vehicles nationwide.
Petroleum minister directs CNG initiative officials to expand refuelling infrastructure and vehicle conversions.
Government expects cheaper gas-powered transport to ease pressure on commuters following petrol subsidy removal.
October 19, () – The Federal Government has renewed its push to deploy one million compressed natural gas-powered vehicles nationwide, directing officials to accelerate infrastructure development 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.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s spokesman, Louis Ibah, Ekpo urged the leadership of both bodies to identify critical interventions, expand refuelling infrastructure and strengthen programmes to increase the adoption of CNG-powered vehicles.
He said the government was committed to translating its autogas policy into tangible benefits for Nigerians, particularly through lower transportation costs following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
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Infrastructure Expansion
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Gas Ekperikpe Ekpo Photo credit Ministry of Petroleum
The minister said Nigeria’s extensive gas reserves presented an opportunity to reduce transport costs, deepen domestic gas utilisation 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”, Ekpo said.
He stressed the need to implement President Bola Tinubu’s directive to make transportation more affordable through CNG, assuring the initiative’s leadership of continued government support.
“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”, he added.
The renewed target places emphasis on expanding the infrastructure required to support a larger fleet of gas-powered vehicles, including refuelling stations and conversion facilities.
The availability of such infrastructure is critical to the initiative, as transport operators need reliable access to gas before switching from petrol-powered vehicles.
Lower Fares Depend On Adoption
Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles Photo credit The State House Abuja
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 efforts were to make CNG more accessible to transport operators and reduce fares for millions of Nigerians.
CNG has been promoted by the Federal Government as a potentially cheaper alternative to petrol, offering transport operators an opportunity to lower fuel expenditure.
However, the extent to which the savings translate into lower fares will depend on several factors, including the cost of converting vehicles, the availability and reliability of gas supplies, access to refuelling stations and the operating costs faced by transport businesses.
The one-million-vehicle target therefore requires more than an increase in conversions. Sustained infrastructure investment and wider access to affordable CNG will be necessary to support adoption across the country.
For commuters, the expected benefit is lower transportation costs, but the impact will ultimately depend on how quickly the programme expands and whether operators pass fuel-cost savings on to passengers.
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