By Olusegun Olanrewaju
Sequel to the removal of fuel subsidies and as a response to the high cost of petrol and the attendant rise in the cost of transportation, President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential CNG has been providing a cheaper and cleaner energy source for Nigerians.
In a statement released yesterday entitled, ‘Status Updated on the Presidential CNG Initiative,’ signed by the Project Director/CEO of the Presidential CNG Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi, the Presidency noted that since the launch of the ‘ground-breaking’ initiative, “the response has been positive as Nigerians are embracing and converting their petrol-powered vehicles to CNG-enabled vehicles.
He said they have already reduced their fuel spending by over 60 percent.
The statement added, “Over 100,000 vehicles have been converted from petrol to CNG/bi-fuel-powered, and more conversion centres are being established across the country.
“In addition, investors are ramping up the development and deployment of CNG infrastructure, with over $200m already invested across the value chain. Thousands of new jobs and economic opportunities are opening up along the line.
“Going by the level of progress being made regarding the adoption and deployment of CNG infrastructure, we are concerned over certain instances of misinformation against this epochal initiative by a section of the media.
“For instance, the October 31, 2024 editorial of the Punch Newspaper did not give a rational and fair assessment of the CNG initiative.
“It is surprising how the choice of petrol, for which Nigeria spent about $10 billion annually on subsidy, and CNG, which has the potential to save the nation $3bn, while adding $2bn revenue to the national purse in the next three to four years, is an issue of toxic debate.
The Presidency also stated: “First, one of the issues raised against the CNG initiative and its implementation by The Punch is ease of conversion.
“We see this as an opportunity rather than a challenge, and we are already deepening the development of CNG infrastructure with our partners.
“However, the number of conversion centres has risen from seven in 2023 to more than 140 across the country, and certainly not 50 centres as claimed by The Punch.
“Facts are sacred. We believe the sacrosanctity of facts is not lost on The Punch, but to claim or assert without veracity and evidence is an obvious attempt at mischief.
“More than 2,000 Nigerians have been employed in these conversion centres, with more jobs in the offing as CNG penetration ratchets up. In the past year, the private sector invested over N2bn to establish these conversion centres, and another N6bn to N10bn will set up more centres to meet the targeted 1,000 centres required to transform the nation’s energy dynamics.
“Second, there is no conversion cost for commercial vehicles in Nigeria. It is FREE under the President’s Conversion Incentive Programme.
“The programme seeks to convert one million commercial vehicles to CNG/bi-fuel in the next three years.
“This is verifiable information as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), whose members have benefitted from recently issued statements acknowledging this fact.”
It added, “The Punch also got it wrong with its ‘conversion explosion’ slant in Edo State. It is important to emphasise that the explosion in Edo State happened because of substandard, uncertified, and poorly-fabricated CNG cylinders, which exploded during an attempt to refill (not convert) at a station.
“It is equally important to reiterate that CNG is safe and cleaner. It is lighter, eight times less explosive than diesel, and eighteen times less explosive than petrol.
“It is also more readily available and a more sustainable alternative for Nigeria’s energy security.
