Folarin Oworu, the Programme Coordinator of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), announced a nationwide campaign to mobilise and educate all 36 states on converting petrol vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG). This initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to alleviate the effects of fuel subsidy removal by promoting CNG as a cleaner, more affordable alternative.
Speaking at a rally in Mando Motor Park, Kaduna, Oworu outlined the initiative’s focus on converting commercial vehicles. The Kaduna rally began with 100 conversion kits, and similar rallies are planned across the country, with Lagos being the next stop. The goal is to cover all states by year-end.
Oworu explained that the conversions are free for road transport unions, aiming to lower commercial transportation costs. He highlighted that the government partners with various state locations for vehicle conversions. The initiative targets converting up to 250,000 vehicles annually, starting next year, with each conversion kit costing between ₦1 million to ₦1.5 million.
Najim Yasin, former National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), praised the initiative, urging transport workers to participate. He emphasized that the programme would reduce fuel prices and transportation costs, alleviating public hardship.