The Federal Government has kicked off the distribution of fresh Compressed Natural Gas conversion kits to various states as part of its strategy to promote the widespread adoption of CNG as a cost-effective fuel alternative.
According to The PUNCH, this development was revealed by an official from the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Moses Onate, during an inspection of the CNG kit warehouse situated in Ibafo, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, on Friday.
Amid escalating fuel prices, many drivers have been grappling with the financial strain of keeping their businesses operational.
The Federal Government’s CNG initiative is seen as a potential game-changer, with expectations that it could slash transportation costs by over 40 percent.
The distribution of CNG kits began in key cities like Abuja and Lagos, marking the first step in a nationwide rollout.
Onate detailed the distribution process, noting that states such as Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory would each receive 1,000 conversion kits.
These kits are designed to enable vehicles to run on CNG instead of petrol. According to Onate, out of the 1,000 kits currently available, 450 had already been sent to Kaduna and Abuja, while the remaining 550 were set for dispatch to Lagos, Oyo, and Ogun.
“As of this morning, 450 have gone out to Kaduna and Abuja. 550 will be going to Lagos, Oyo, and Ogun states today,” Onate explained, emphasizing that no negative feedback had been received regarding the previously distributed kits.
He further mentioned that Lagos alone boasts up to 10 CNG conversion centers, ensuring that motorists in the state have convenient access to conversion services.
“This initiative will seriously help people as regards the cost in the sense that fuel is around a thousand naira now, but CNG is around N210/N230,” Onate added. “The gross margin between what fuel is being sold for and CNG price will have a lot of positive impact on everybody. We will live to enjoy CNG.”
Supporting the initiative, pipeline engineer Austin Nwaodhu, who was present at the warehouse, urged motorists to embrace CNG as a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to petrol. He emphasized that CNG offers lower consumption rates and is user-friendly.
“CNG is a good initiative by the president that will help to bring down the cost of running a vehicle compared to petrol. It will bring down the cost of running our cars,” Nwaodhu stated.
Nwaodhu also highlighted the environmental benefits of CNG, noting that it produces fewer harmful emissions compared to petrol, making it a more eco-friendly option.
“It is friendly to the environment and does not emit fumes unlike petrol,” he said, stressing the importance of this advantage in reducing the public health risks associated with fuel emissions.
The initiative represents a significant move by the Federal Government to address the financial burdens caused by rising fuel prices, while also promoting cleaner energy alternatives across the country.
