PI-CNG&EV Chairman Pushes for Gas Vehicle Policy

Barr. Ismael Ahmed, the chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG&EV), announced plans to lobby the Federal Government for a policy requiring all commercial vehicles to convert to natural gas or electric vehicles. In an interview on Arise News TV, he emphasized the initiative's goal to promote cleaner and more affordable transportation.

With approximately 12 million vehicles in Nigeria, of which 55 to 60 percent are commercial, this segment is crucial for a nationwide transition. Ahmed noted that the program has already reduced fares on certain routes in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Ebonyi, and Maiduguri, although these savings have not yet reached all passengers.

He highlighted Nigeria's estimated 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves and the government's target to convert one million commercial petrol vehicles to CNG by 2027, with 120,000 already converted. The initiative has attracted over $2.5 billion in investments, and the government plans to establish a national network of 1,000 refueling stations.