By Charles Ebi
Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative ,PCNGI, has said that its effort to achieve nationwide adoption of Compressed Natural Gas ,CNG, is yielding results despite challenges.
The PCNGI said it has converted nearly 100,000 cars and attracted over $500m CNG investments.
The body said this in reaction to a report highlighting setbacks in driving CNG penetration in the country.
President Bola Tinubu in August 2023 approved the establishment of PCNGI and from May 2024, the PCNGI set out to implement its mandate in line with the directive.
The president tasked the PCNGI to incentivize the adoption of CNG and EV vehicles to ensure sustainable transportation for all Nigerians, to facilitate investments into the alternative energy sector for transportation and to coordinate regulation of the emerging sector for rapid growth.
“The start-up work of the PCNGI was to embark on an intensive awareness campaign which was conducted from May to October 2024; hardly any CNG vehicles were on our roads, and no demand at the few eleven CNG stations nationwide since a 2017 pilot by NNPCL.
“Many, even our most ardent adherents were not convinced anyone will want CNG vehicles. Misinformation and fake news on CNG dominated the media space.
“One year out, we are pleased that even the doubting-Thomases are singing a new tune. With over 50,000 vehicles and rising to 100,000 – the queues at CNG stations are naturally going to rise, because of such unprecedented increase (from a mere 4000) in vehicle count as a result of massive incentive provided by the administration and the breakthrough in awareness due to the economic benefits of the switch. Nigerians love CNG and the program is working”.
PCNGI said the private sector, as well as public partners, that will develop the necessary infrastructure to meet the rising demand of CNG vehicles are taking note of its efforts.
The PCNGI explained that last week, two new daughter stations in Abuja were commissioned with AY Shafa and Femadec investing in these ventures.
It said both entities are working on establishing nine and 21 daughter stations respectively over the next one year.
“For Femadec, the dual benefit of leading the charge of building CNG ecosystem in 20 universities is an icing on the cake. This week, Yola is stepping up with Greenville investing, in its intensive roll out of LCNG stations in 51 locations across the North and SE as well as hard to reach places. Over 175 stations are being rolled out nationwide by various partners.
“In addition to Greenville and Femadec, the PCNGI is backing partners to roll out 24 sites in the next 6-9 months, with one site already activated in Ilorin. Port Harcourt, Ado Ekiti, Lokoja, Abuja, Aba and Enugu will all go live within the next 60 to 120 days to dispense CNG, to scale the refueling on-lending initiative heralded with the first launch in Ilorin last year that have already transformed that local economy.
“Aside from these, NNPCL is investing. Additional 8 stations to its current stock of 12 are being finished as we speak and another 40 of 100 in Phase 2 of her roll out plan is being finalized”.
According to PCNGI, another investor, Bovas is launching two sites in Ibadan for its eight-station rollout of ultra-modern CNG stations and ecosystem.
It listed NIPCO’s eight stations within six months, which is in addition to 23 already functional across the country.
