Gas
CNG bus fire on Lagos expressway leaves one injured
Seventeen passengers escaped unhurt after a compressed natural gas vehicle caught fire near the Berger bus stop in Lagos.
Key points
- A commercial bus carrying 18 occupants caught fire along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
- Lagos State Traffic Management Authority officials rescued 17 passengers safely.
- One male passenger sustained severe burns and received treatment at a local trauma centre.
- Authorities urged transport operators to conduct regular safety inspections on gas systems.
What happened
Punch reported that a commercial vehicle powered by compressed natural gas suffered a fire incident along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The transport conveyance was carrying 18 people heading towards the commercial capital from the Mowe-Ibafo area when the blaze occurred near the Berger Bus Stop.
Personnel from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority acted quickly to pull 17 individuals out of danger without physical harm. However, a single male occupant positioned at the back of the transport unit suffered extensive burn injuries. Emergency responders transferred the wounded individual to the Lagos State Trauma and Emergency Centre located at the Toll Gate for urgent medical assistance.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service deployed firefighting teams to control and extinguish the flames, stopping the fire from escalating further. Meanwhile, officers from the Ojodu Police Division secured the perimeter and managed vehicular flow during the emergency operations.
Safety calls
Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who leads the traffic management agency as General Manager, praised the swift collaboration between the responding emergency units. He emphasised the necessity of prompt agency coordination and well-trained personnel when managing transport mishaps.
Following the incident, the agency head appealed to commercial vehicle operators utilising gaseous fuels to enforce strict maintenance schedules. He stressed that transport providers must check gas storage and delivery apparatus regularly to protect commuters and maintain road safety standards across the state.
Why it matters
The promotion of compressed natural gas as a cleaner alternative fuel is a central pillar of national energy policy aimed at reducing reliance on imported petroleum products. However, public confidence in alternative transport fuels depends heavily on rigorous safety protocols and vehicle maintenance. According to World Bank figures cited by the CEII, Nigeria's access to clean cooking stood at 28 per cent in 2024, highlighting broader domestic challenges surrounding the safe adoption of household and transport energy technologies.
For energy investors and policymakers in Nigeria, incidents involving alternative fuel vehicles underline the urgent need for robust regulatory oversight, certified conversion centres, and mandatory safety inspections. Ensuring infrastructure integrity is vital as the country expands its gas-powered transport network to prevent public resistance and protect the momentum of the domestic energy transition.
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.
