President Bola Tinubu has appointed Barrister Ismael Ahmed as the new Executive Chairman of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi), a key government effort aimed at easing the economic burden caused by the removal of fuel subsidies.

The announcement was made on Friday by presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga, who said the initiative is one of several interventions introduced by the administration to offer Nigerians cheaper and cleaner energy alternatives.

Ahmed, 45, is expected to steer the program using his extensive background in law and public service. He graduated with a law degree from the University of Abuja and was called to the bar in 2006. He later obtained a master’s degree in international relations, communication, and diplomacy from Webster University in Missouri, USA.

Before this appointment, Ahmed served as a Senior Special Assistant on the National Social Investment Programme under former President Muhammadu Buhari, where he was involved in managing social welfare initiatives.

With Ahmed at the helm, the Tinubu administration hopes the CNG program will accelerate the country’s shift toward more affordable and sustainable energy options, while helping citizens adapt to the realities of recent policy changes.