Nigeria has increased its network of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations to 106 as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to promote cheaper transportation alternatives and reduce dependence on petrol.
The Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed this during the commissioning of a CNG Integrated Refuelling Unit (IRU) station established by Pi-CNG & EV in partnership with Rolling Energy in Karu.
Ahmed revealed that another 170 stations are at various stages of development, with some awaiting regulatory approvals from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
He said the expansion has attracted about $2.6bn in private sector investments, noting that most of the facilities are being developed by private investors, supported by government policies aimed at encouraging further participation.
According to him, Nigeria’s CNG expansion is progressing at a remarkable pace compared with the development of petrol infrastructure, which took the country six decades to reach 24,000 stations.
He encouraged more entrepreneurs to invest in the sector, describing the growing participation of private businesses as a positive development for the country’s energy transition.
The PiCNG chairman also noted that the introduction of CNG-powered buses on certain routes had helped lower transport fares. However, he stressed that more buses would be required to achieve further reductions in transportation costs.
Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Temitope Fashedemi, said wider adoption of CNG would help Nigerians cope with rising petrol prices by providing a more affordable fuel option.
He expressed optimism that supply and accessibility would improve as more investors establish refuelling facilities and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project is completed.
Fashedemi added that increasing the number of stations would ease pressure on existing facilities and make it easier for motorists to access CNG and convert their vehicles.
Meanwhile, the Chairman and Founder of Rolling Energy, Mubarak Umar Danbatta, said the newly commissioned facility would support the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s energy security.
