President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate deployment of approximately 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits nationwide as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG), Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed this after meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja.
Ahmed stated that Tinubu is keenly monitoring global developments and their impact on Nigeria's energy costs, particularly the effect of the Iran-US conflict on fuel prices and transportation.
According to Ahmed, the president has mandated the Pi-CNG initiative to accelerate the rollout of CNG infrastructure and alternative mobility solutions across the country.
The kits would enable vehicle owners and tricycle operators to convert their engines from petrol to CNG, with deployment expected to begin within the next two to three weeks.
The Pi-CNG chairman explained that the government is already developing a network of refuelling stations and charging facilities to support the transition to gas-powered and electric vehicles.
About 77 CNG refilling stations are currently at various stages of development nationwide. He referenced Kano, where two Liquefied Compressed Natural Gas (LCNG) stations are already operational, while several "daughter stations" are under construction.
Ahmed revealed that the government plans to establish a chain of refuelling points along major transport routes stretching from Lokoja through Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, and Kano up to Maiduguri.
The Pi-CNG initiative is also working with local and international manufacturers to support vehicle conversion and the local assembly of CNG-powered and electric vehicles.
Several manufacturers have already indicated interest in setting up assembly lines in Nigeria, a move Ahmed said would boost job creation and strengthen the local automotive industry.
The directive comes as fuel prices in Nigeria surged past N1,000 per litre due to the war between Iran and the United States/Israel.
On Monday, the Dangote Refinery increased the price of petrol to N1,175 per litre, up from N995 per litre on March 7 and N874 per litre on March 2.
However, the refinery reduced the price on Tuesday, though costs remain significantly elevated.
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