Gas
Nigeria renews push for one million CNG vehicles to lower transport costs
The Federal Government has directed key energy bodies to accelerate vehicle conversions and infrastructure rollout to reduce travel expenses following petrol subsidy removal.
Key points
- Officials instructed to expand compressed natural gas infrastructure and vehicle conversions.
- Target aims to provide a cheaper alternative fuel after the 2023 petrol subsidy removal.
- Domestic gas consumption has recently exceeded two billion cubic feet per day.
Driving adoption
According to Punch reporting, the Federal Government has intensified its strategy to deploy one million compressed natural gas vehicles nationwide. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo instructed the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles alongside the Decade of Gas Secretariat to speed up investments in refuelling sites and conversion facilities in Abuja.
Officials stated that the initiative aims to translate national gas reserves into affordable travel options for commuters. The push follows higher running expenses for petrol-fueled cars after the removal of the petrol subsidy in 2023.
Infrastructure and market strategy
Ismaeel Ahmed, chairman of the CNG and electric vehicles initiative, noted that the programme will scale up conversion efforts and expand station networks to improve accessibility. Ed Ubong, coordinator of the Decade of Gas Secretariat, added that a completed joint industry market study will help guide priority interventions and infrastructure planning.
Mr Ekpo highlighted that domestic gas consumption has recently surpassed two billion cubic feet per day for the first time. He stated that Nigeria holds a gas reserves index exceeding eighty years, supporting broader domestic utilisation ambitions.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Gas is the flexible backbone of many grids and the designated transition fuel in many national plans, from LNG trade to domestic LPG and CNG. Supply security and pricing drive both power reliability and emissions.
72.9% of electricity in Nigeria came from gas in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
