The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative has unveiled conversion centres in Abuja to help convert petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to the use of CNG.
Mrs Omolara Obileye, Coordinator of Business Development and Strategy of the initiative, who spoke during the exercise on Friday, July 12, 2024, said the initiative would reduce the dependence on fuel.
According to her, conversion has started for commercial vehicles.
“We are starting with Abuja and Lagos, and we will keep rolling out; the announcements will be made regularly as we go to each of the states.
“Private cars are supposed to pay a fraction of the cost of the conversion while the transport associations have 100 per cent conversion free.
“However, the cost depends on the vehicle size because there are different types of vehicles; and there is need to understand what exactly we need to configure in the system.
“We have over 12 conversion centres in the FCT; we will continue to increase the number and update the public,” she said.
The CNG Conversion Centres visited in Abuja include NIPCO Oil and Gas station at Airport Road, Kia Motors at Utako, Mijo Gas Auto in Jahi and ABG CNG, Kubwa.
At Mijo Gas Auto, the head of the Centre, Mr Gaurav Goyal, described CNG as very safe and clean.
“So, what we want from every Nigerian is to go green; it will be a very good initiative for bringing down the price of items including the cost of PMS.
“CNG is not only pocket-friendly, it will reduce food prices because transportation will also be cost effective,” he said.
One of the CNG engineers, Mr Joseph Smith, said the price of a litre of CNG was N230 at NIPCO Oil and Gas station, adding that a driver could use CNG of N3000 to travel to Kaduna from Abuja.
Smith explained that there was an automatic switch button that could alternate between CNG and Fuel in the car without causing an issue or challenge.
Car owners were seen at the centres trying to convert their petrol-powered cars to CNG while others who had already converted theirs, were buying CNG at N230 per litre.
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
