The Nigerian federal government has set a new target to add 2,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling stations across the country, a move aimed at cutting transport costs and encouraging a shift from petrol to cheaper, cleaner fuel. The announcement was made at the inauguration of a newly converted CNG facility at the State House in Abuja, where the government will also roll out a vehicle conversion programme for its staff.
At the ceremony, Ismael Ahmed, chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi‑CNG & EV), said the government had already commissioned 106 CNG stations nationwide and had 170 more either under construction or awaiting regulatory approval. He added that 30,000 conversion kits would arrive next week ahead of Christmas and that the new facility could serve about 150 vehicles a day.
“The adoption of CNG‑powered buses has already cut fares by 30 to 40 per cent on routes in Abuja, Lagos and the Kano‑Katsina corridor,” Ahmed said. “Commuters who once paid between N3,000 and N4,000 can now travel for about N1,500 using CNG buses.”
State House Permanent Secretary Temitope Fashedemi explained that the conversion programme would begin with vehicles meeting technical specifications, adding that the State House already operates ten CNG‑hybrid JAC cars and several shuttle buses. He highlighted the partnership with Rollin Energy Limited, which turned an abandoned petrol station into a fully integrated CNG refuelling centre without any expenditure from the State House.
Rollin Energy CEO Mubarak Umar Danbatta said the new facility, which features double‑nozzle dispensers and a single‑system compressor, will serve up to 150 vehicles daily. He noted that the company operates stations in Ilorin and Abuja and plans to commission two more in Kano and two in Kaduna next week, targeting 15 CNG stations nationwide by the end of 2026.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, Toyin Subair, added that the federal and state governments were investing in CNG‑powered buses, trucks, tricycles and other mass‑transit vehicles. “We are targeting a 40 per cent or greater reduction in transport fares, especially on interstate routes,” Subair said.
With the removal of the petrol subsidy, the administration is pushing for a transition to alternative fuels. The State House project, which offered free CNG to local motorists during a trial period, is intended to demonstrate the viability of CNG infrastructure and encourage private‑sector investment in the sector.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
