The Nigerian Government has stated its readiness to introduce the Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses and tricycles into the Nigerian transportation system.
This is was made known by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Bay Onanuga. He said the Government would rollout about 2, 700 Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses and tricycles before May 29. The event of the rollout will coincide with President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office.
According to Onanuga, the Federal Government was set to deliver 100 conversion workshops and 60 refueling sites spread across 18 States before the end of 2024.
He revealed this in a statement he signed on Sunday titled ‘Presidential CNG initiative set for rollout.’
The statement read, “From the end of May, Nigeria will take some baby steps to join such nations that already have large fleets of CNG vehicles.
“All is now ready for delivery of the first set of critical assets for deployment. And the launch of the CNG initiative ahead of the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration on May 29.
“About 2,500 of the tricycles will be ready before May 29, 2024…working towards delivering 200 units before the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration.”
“Over 600 buses are targeted for production in the first phase, which will be accomplished in 2024.
“Therefore, the private sector has so far responded with over $50m in actual investments in refuelling stations, conversion centres and mother stations.
“Also, a safety policy document on 80 standards and regulations that must be strictly adhered to by operators has been developed and approved to ensure CNG conversions are done safely and reliably.
“The FG also plans to sell thousands of conversion kits for petrol-powered buses and taxis that want to migrate to CNG at subsidized rates. Especially to commercial vehicle drivers to bring down the cost of public transportation.
The Presidency named NIPCO and BOVAS as its private sector collaborators. They would be involved in offering refilling services for the CNG vehicles and also serving as conversion centres.
“NIPCO is setting up 32 stations nationwide to offer the services. The company has completed the set-up of four of the CNG stations.
“Likewise, BOVAS is setting up eight stations in Ibadan. Two each in Ekiti, Abuja and four in Ilorin. MRS is also involved.
“It is making efforts to announce where its refilling stations and conversion centres will be,” Onanuga explained.
He also explained that NNPC Limited which had launched an on-and-off CNG initiative in the past is also joining the new initiative. And it is expected that NNPCL will soon announce the locations for CNG refilling and CNG conversion centres nationwide.
“In addition, the PCNGI is working with 22 other agency partners. These include the Standards Organization of Nigeria and Nigeria Automotive Design and Development Council. They are to deliver 80 Natural Gas Vehicle Conversion and Associated Appliances Standards for the country.
For proper running of the initiative, the Presidential aide stated that the Presidential CNG Initiative would also launch MYCNG.NG App.
“The app,” he said, “will embed the Nigeria Gas Vehicle Monitoring Systems. Which will show CNG conversion and refueling sites in the country.
“The vision of Mr. President to deliver one million gas vehicles cannot be possible without the private sector. This include the RTEAN, NARTO, NURTW, and players in the downstream sector of the transportation chain and financiers,” he stated.
source: PUNCH
