Citizens of the nation show excitement and great joy over the launch of the Compressive Natural Gas by the NNPCL, and already this has started functioning in Lagos with hopes that it would spread to other parts of the country soon.
The company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer announced this during the official launch saying, “We are pleased to announce that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is now available for purchase at our location, catering to both cars and trucks.”
Since the 2023 fuel subsidy removal by the president of the federation, Bola Ahmed Tinubu,the NNPC has spearheaded the nations drive for energy security,hence prompting the government to set up a CNG committee which has been charged with the responsibility of providing CNG as an alternative to fuel at a very affordable rate.
And in order to fulfill it’s energy security mandate to the nation, the NNPC formed an alliance with NIPCO in 2023 to set up 35 CNG stations which would be situated in Lagos and other parts of the country on the 19th May 2024.
The NNPC alongside their partners have so far commissioned 3 of this CNG stations.Furthermore, on May 30, 2024, NNPC Limited and Transit Gas Nigeria Limited (TGNL) delivered the 5.2 MMSCFD Compressed Natural Gas/Autogas Facility at Ilasamaja, Lagos, built through their partnership.
And since then,Nigerians have shown their excitement on this new development, Oluwatosin Ibiwoye, a customer who recently patronized the station expressed her joy in a recent interview saying,do not have to queue for PMS. I do not bother my head with PMS price has gone up or down.
“It has been peace of mind all the time. What I used N28,000 PMS to cover, now, I used N4100 to cover it.”
A truck driver, who introduced himself as Francis Okonya gave his testimony saying,
CNG is much better because the price is very minute compared to diesel and petrol. It does not affect anybody. This does have a single spoke and that is why it is better than diesel and PMS.
“It is encouraging for everybody to use CNG.”
Arguing on the economic benefits of CNG compared to diesel and fuel, Olusola Onisesi, a taxi driver said,“I got CNG here, travel to and returned and it did not finish. I also tried it again. I went to Abeokuta with it and came back and it did not finish.”
According to his testimony, CNG is more economical as compared to PMS or diesel and PMS.
Recall that Toyin Subaru, Special assistant to the president on special duties and domestic affairs said, a kg of CNG will be sold at N250 as compared to diesel and PMS which are both sold at higher prices, according to him, the CNG initiative is one which has been established to help Nigerians save two-thirds on their transportation expenses.
“Now, with this CNG plan, we don’t even have to import what we need to operate our vehicles,” he said.
“It is called CNG and we have the gas here in Nigeria. So, the idea is just to take the gas to distribute it across Nigeria via different truck stations.
“Most gas is not CNG enabled yet and what we are doing is to help them convert their cars so you can use petrol and CNG at the same time.
“We are going to develop an app that will enable you locate where a CNG station is located. We should be able to buy gas for our cars at N230 per KG as against the cost of petrol which is N680 per litre.
“This should help every Nigerian save about two-thirds of their transport cost.”
Furthermore,Toyin Subaru assured that in 2027,there would be one million CNG vehicles on the roads, as the president is already making plans for all it to happen.
Michael Oluwagbemi, programme director, presidential CNG initiative, stated that the government has intentions of developing over 1000 CNG workshops across the country, The initiative will also serve as a source of job creation as over 50,000 jobs to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal.
Accord to research CNG is considered to be Eco friendly as it is natural gas that is odorless and non corrosive, also a CNG car offers a higher return of fuel as compared to a PMS fueled car.
