As the need to turn to cleaner energy continues, the federal government has ramped up the distribution of conversion kits to various centres to aid motorists as they seek conversion from petrol powered vehicles; BENJAMIN UMUTEME writes.

The PCNGi launched under President Tinubu’s directive, is set to deliver wide-reaching benefits to Nigerians by significantly cutting fuel costs. The introduction of CNG as a fuel source aligns with the government’s drive towards energy diversification, and is designed to bring immediate relief to Nigerians, especially those who depend on transport for their livelihood.

Embracing the opportunities

At the distribution of CNG kits across Lagos recently, Head of Commercial Operations of P-CNGi, Omoh Imouchuede, urged Nigerians to embrace the opportunities of the initiative to cushion economic hardship in Nigeria.

While commending the President Bola Tinubu-led government for the initiative, insisted that there must be “acceptance for it to have a viral effect on our economy”.

Imouchuede said, “It’s a good turnout. But for us to push through the program, there has to be acceptance. And from what we can see, there is acceptance.

“What we’re trying to do is establish an implementation with our partners.

“It’s very critical for us to understand the need for CNG to be adopted across all spheres; hence, we’re starting with mass transit. 

“It’s important for everyone to see the importance of the fact that CNG is here to stay and to rally behind Mr. President to ensure that the initiative hits its mark. A million vehicles by 2027, and we’re going to do it.”

All hands are on deck

The P-CNGi Head of Commercial Operations He added that “All hands are on deck, and we’re working tirelessly every day. And our program directors are all over the place, ensuring that everyone is aware of what we’re doing.

“So the key thing for us is to keep pushing and working with our partners. And we’re looking towards meeting many more milestones come the end of this year, 2025, and towards 2027.”

“Well, three key things: Availability of kits, which we’re working towards. Increasing the volume of the conversion centres. 

“We need to move forward as a nation. And if this is an opportunity with regards to what the federal government, with the vision of Mr. President, is keying in to transform the challenges that we’re going through, then hopefully that should be enough. There’s hope for Nigeria. We have more gas reserves than crude. So it’s important for everybody to tap into it.

“It’s not going to be easy. Nothing that good comes easy. But everybody needs to be part and parcel of this initiative.”

Coming at the right time

Responding to the development from the centers, Managing Director, NASENI Portland Gas Limited, Mr. Folajimi Mohammed, said the initiative was coming on the heels of higher fuel prices biting hard on Nigerians.

He noted that the center had received 50 kits and it’s going to convert 50 commercial vehicles into CNG, “At the moment we have over 30 vehicles, so we have a mark of 50. Once we hit the mark of 50, then we have to close adding it’s a free initiative given to mass transit by the federal government.

“Aside that CNG is a safe gas, it is safer than the petrol combustion, it reduces emissions, as well as promoting cleaner energy adding it’s going to be on the first-come, first-served basis.

“If we have a lot of the mass transit vehicles being retrofitted with the CNG, it will lower the cost of food, cost of transportation, and then Nigerians will smile.”

On his part, the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Michelle Ejiofor, added that introducing the CNG into the vehicle, and retrofitting it, actually gives a better emissions as well as it reduces the cost of transportation adding that’s a cleaner energy, and cleaner source of oil.

While calling on all Nigerians to embrace the federal government initiative, she lauded the government for also now collaborating with different conversion centers who had been given the mandate to convert these various vehicles into CNG.

“So for the first-come, first-served program, we have called on various vehicles to come, now, these vehicles will be inspected, will be diagnosed.

“Now, the vehicles that actually pass the test will be keyed into the system for the actual conversion. So if your vehicle doesn’t pass the test, then it means you would need to step aside, and maybe if you have minor repairs to do, then you can go ahead and do that and wait for the next program”.

Basically, we have a diagnostic machine, and then we have the engineers on ground who would inspect your vehicles physically and also use the machine, so once you’re good to go, then we key in you for the conversion, she further added.

Cheaper alternative

At the Dana Motors conversion center, the Chief Commercial Officer, Dana Motors, Matthews Kuruvilla, announced that as partners to the P-CNGi on the personal initiative for the conversion, Dana Motors had started the conversion for the commercial vehicles, starting with the commercial vehicles.

According to him, “It’s a good thing, because considering all the other schemes that have been rolling out, we’re actually seeing the results. The kits are here, the vehicles are here, the gas is much cheaper compared to normal fuel, it’s almost 70 percent cheaper compared to normal fuel. So we are proud partners, and we are doing it in this location and other locations of Dana Motors.

“So we are most happy to be part of the P-CNGi, and to convert as many vehicles as possible to CNG, starting with commercial vehicles. We are also just converting ride-sharing vehicles; also we are reaching out to our private customers to convert their vehicles also to CNG.”

Asked about the current challenges likely to militate against the smooth take off of the CNG initiative, Kuruvilla said there was a need to increase the number of fuel filling stations, adding however that Dana Motors is working with partners, who are also working with many partners.

There is available gas in Nigeria, Kuruvilla said, “we just have to have filling stations, which I’m sure in the next couple of months, and by the time these vehicles are on the road, we will have many filling stations in the country”.

The chief Commercial Officer, said aside from the intervention that the Nigerian government is doing through Dana Motors, that the company is planning to have CNG ready vehicles, new vehicles that will be CNG retrofitted adding that Dana Motors is also the importer of Kia vehicles.

“So any Kia vehicle which is coming in, we can offer them as CNG vehicles also.

The P-CNGi is for converting existing vehicles, so we are also going to have new vehicles also with CNG. We’re getting CNG buses; we’re already supplying CNG buses for many states, in the MDS, so that also is there. “We’re also making new vehicles with CNG”, he added.

However, Member, Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyekale Ayodele Jelili, hinted that some drivers had done the conversion adding it’s far cheaper than the cost of fuel.

According to the beneficiaries, instead of fuel of N40,000, N50,000 per day, it came down to as low as N5,000, N6,000 for gas.

Asked whether he’s also going to ensure that this reflects on the price and the cost of transportation and also compel those who had converted to also make transportation cheaper, Jelili responded in the affirmative.

“Once the price, the cost of bringing a vehicle out comes down, we automatically lower the cost of transportation. Because instead of fuel of N45,000 per day, it comes down to N5,000, automatically, the cost of transportation will come lower”, the NURTW member stated adding a friend of his had done it, while he’s going to follow the same direction.

Jelili said with the CNG conversion the cost of fare from Lagos to Ibadan would be reduced to as low as N1,500, going through the normal road price.