- Nigerians are encouraged to adopt Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as the Federal Government launched 15 CNG-powered buses in Ekiti State
- The initiative aims to provide cleaner, cheaper fuel while boosting the local economy and creating training opportunities for technicians
Nigerians have been encouraged to use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as the Federal Government handed over 15 CNG-powered buses to Ekiti State.
Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, Programme Director and CEO of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), urged citizens to trust President Bola Tinubu’s economic recovery plans.
Speaking at the launch of the CNG conversion incentives programme in Ado Ekiti, Oluwagbemi acknowledged the economic difficulties Nigerians face, especially in Ekiti State, which has been hit hard by high food inflation due to increasing transportation costs.
At the event, where 15 CNG buses were delivered, and seven CNG conversion centres were unveiled, Oluwagbemi emphasized the initiative’s potential to boost the local economy.
He explained, “The goal is to provide cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable fuel, turning over $12.5 billion in wasted gas from the last five years into an opportunity for the people.”
He also revealed plans to partner with local universities such as Ekiti State University (EKSU) and Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) to train technicians and build local expertise in CNG conversion technology.
He added that Ekiti could one day have an assembly plant exporting CNG-enabled vehicles to other West African countries.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji, represented by the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, noted that Ekiti’s shift to CNG began through a collaboration with IPP Limited to power a 3 MW independent power facility.
He encouraged commercial drivers, particularly tricycle operators, to convert to or adopt CNG as their fuel of choice.
The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Chairmen, Amb. Joseph Falope, and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Comrade Sunday Adeola, thanked President Tinubu for the initiative and committed to supporting its success.