250,000 petrol-powered vehicles to be converted to CNG annually, says Oworu

Starting next year, the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative will convert 250,000 vehicles annually.

According to Persecondnees, the committee plans to mobilize all 36 states by the end of the year to switch from petrol-powered vehicles to CNG, which is a cleaner and more affordable alternative.

The Presidential CNG Initiative (CNGi) is one of the measures adopted by President Bola Tinubu’s administration aimed at mitigating the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the masses.

Mr. Folarin Oworu, the Programme Execution Coordinator for the P-CNGi, made this announcement at a rally on Thursday at the Mando Interstate Terminal in Kaduna, where he distributed 100 conversion kits to members of the commercial transport union.

According to him, the initiative targets commercial vehicles, with partners in various states aiming to convert 250,000 vehicles per year starting next year.
He stated that the conversion kits, worth N1.5 million, would be free for transport unions to reduce transportation costs for the masses.

He stated that Lagos will host the next rally, with plans to visit all states before the year ends.

Oworu said: “What we are doing here today is front-to-back CNG conversion mobilization. Mr. President has decided to make conversion free for the road transport unions—that is, the NURTW, NATO, and other road transport unions.

“The idea is to bring down the cost of commercial transportation. How do we do that? It is by converting the commercial vehicles of transport unions to make their running costs cheaper.

“The idea is for them to translate these savings to end users by making transportation cheaper.

“We are starting here in Kaduna, and from Kaduna, we shall move to Lagos, and before the end of the year, we would have gone to the whole 36 states.

“The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding was done by the conversion partners we have at the various locations. The commercial vehicles will go and have their vehicles converted.

“The conversion kits are one hundred percent free. The conversion cost is one hundred percent free. That is the agreement in the MOU.”

In his goodwill message, former National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mr. Najim Yasin, commended President Tinubu’s initiative on the P-CNGi agenda, aimed at converting commercial vehicles to use compressed natural gas.

Yasmin applauded the President’s support for the transport sector and the decision to provide free conversion kits to commercial vehicles, which is estimated to benefit 1 million vehicles.

He encouraged members of NURTW, NATO, and other road users to key into the program, which is aimed at reducing the suffering of the masses by decreasing transportation costs and fuel prices.

Yasmin thanked the president and organisers for involving transport workers in the program and expressed appreciation for the support from neighboring states.

He emphasised the program’s potential to reduce fuel prices and transportation costs, benefiting the masses.

The program is set to roll out across all 36 states in the country.

Yasmin said: “This program will move around the 36 states of this country. We, the National Union of Road Transport Workers of Nigeria, the National Association of Transport Owners, use this opportunity to commend President Bola Tinubu for this laudable initiative and support for the transport sector in Nigeria.

“I called on entire transport organisations—NURTWN, NATO, etc.—across the country to key into the program.

“They have signed the agreement with the company for the conversion here in our present. We have got a number of vehicles that as of today can move to the conversion centres so that these vehicles can be converted one by one.

“This one is strictly for commercial vehicles, and that is why we are involved so that we ensure that our members key into this program.

“We appreciate Mr. President and all those who work tirelessly to make this program a reality.

“We know how much a litre of fuel is now sold, and if you fill your tank for N50,000, N45,000, it depends on the number of litres your vehicle is consuming.

“Before you go from Kaduna to Abuja, that fuel is gone. Automatically, it will affect the transport fare.”