The Federal Government has renewed efforts to deploy one million compressed natural gas (CNG) powered vehicles across Nigeria, directing officials to accelerate infrastructure development and vehicle conversions to reduce transportation costs.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, gave the directive in Abuja over the weekend while receiving progress reports from the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV) and the Decade of Gas Secretariat.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s spokesman, Louis Ibah, Ekpo urged both agencies to identify critical interventions, expand refuelling infrastructure and strengthen programmes to increase nationwide adoption of CNG.
Ekpo said the government needed to translate its autogas policy into tangible benefits for Nigerians, particularly lower transport fares following the removal of petrol subsidies in 2023.
He said Nigeria’s extensive natural gas resources offered an opportunity to reduce transport costs, increase domestic gas consumption, attract investment and stimulate economic growth.
“Nigeria is a gas nation with a gas reserves index of over 80 years, and that is why we are talking about the Decade of Gas,” Ekpo said.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting Pi-CNG and the Decade of Gas Secretariat, urging them to accelerate implementation and ensure that the programme delivers affordable transport options.
Pi-CNG Chairman Ismaeel Ahmed said the initiative would intensify investment in refuelling stations, vehicle conversion facilities and programmes to make CNG more accessible to commercial transport operators.
The government is promoting CNG as a cheaper alternative to petrol and diesel, with the potential to lower operating expenses for transport providers. However, the extent to which those savings benefit passengers depends on fuel availability, conversion costs, reliable supplies and whether operators reduce fares.
President Bola Tinubu said in September that more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG, alongside the establishment of more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 refuelling stations nationwide. He urged state governments and transport operators to expand alternative fuel services and ensure that lower energy costs translate into cheaper fares.
The government’s renewed push comes amid continued pressure on household budgets from high transportation costs. Expanding CNG adoption is part of its broader strategy to reduce dependence on petrol and diesel while making greater use of Nigeria’s domestic gas resources.
Achieving the one million vehicle target will require sustained investment, wider geographic coverage of refuelling stations, affordable conversion services and effective safety standards. The government has also stressed the need for cooperation among federal and state authorities, private investors and transport unions to accelerate the transition.
The success of the programme will ultimately depend not only on increasing the number of CNG powered vehicles but also on making the savings accessible to commuters across the country.
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