CNG queues return as demand outpaces infrastructure
By Anthony Otaru, Abuja
Long queues have resurfaced at Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations across Abuja and neighbouring communities, forcing motorists to spend between three and six hours daily waiting to refill their vehicles as demand increasingly overwhelms existing infrastructure.
The development is raising fresh concerns about the capacity of Nigeria’s CNG infrastructure to cope with the rapid shift from petrol and diesel following the removal of the fuel subsidy and the Federal Government’s aggressive promotion of alternative fuel sources.
Major dispensing centres in Zuba, Lugbe, Kubwa and Madalla in neighbouring Niger State have become congestion points, with hundreds of vehicles lining up daily in anticipation of refuelling.
In several locations, queues now stretch for long distances, disrupting traffic flow and forcing motorists to dedicate a significant portion of their working hours to securing fuel.
The return of queues comes despite repeated assurances from authorities that investments in CNG infrastructure would guarantee seamless access to gas, even as conversion rates continue to rise nationwide.
Currently, the cost of refilling a CNG-powered vehicle ranges from ₦380 to ₦450 per standard cubic metre (SCM), depending on the vehicle category.
The Federal Government has also introduced incentives to encourage adoption, including partial subsidies for private vehicle owners and reduced rates for commercial transport operators, to cushion the impact of higher transportation costs.
However, the initiative’s popularity appears to have outpaced the growth of the supporting infrastructure.
A station manager at a CNG facility in Madalla, Mr John Ameh, admitted that the growing queues have become a major challenge for operators and consumers alike.
“The situation is becoming a concern to everyone. We appeal to the relevant authorities to ensure a regular supply of gas and accelerate the expansion of dispensing facilities to meet rising demand,” he said.
For motorists, the financial savings associated with CNG are increasingly being eroded by the cost of lost time and productivity.
A vehicle owner, Mr Adewole Suru, said many motorists were beginning to reconsider their decision to convert their vehicles to gas-powered systems.
“It is unfortunate that many of us spent huge sums converting our vehicles to CNG because we were assured of easy and regular access to gas. Spending four to six hours daily at filling stations is not sustainable.”
He added, “If this situation continues, many people may be forced to return to petrol despite the higher cost because time is also money.”
Energy experts and industry stakeholders attribute the resurgence of queues largely to infrastructure deficits and logistical bottlenecks rather than to gas supply shortages.
According to energy analyst Emmanuel Okumata, the rapid growth in CNG adoption has significantly outpaced the development of dispensing facilities across the country.
“What we are witnessing is a classic case of demand overtaking infrastructure expansion. The number of vehicles converting to CNG has increased exponentially, while the number of operational refuelling points remains relatively low,” he explained.
Okumata identified inadequate dispensing infrastructure, dependence on road transportation for gas distribution, low dispensing pressure, and the uneven geographical spread of stations as major factors driving the long queues.
Industry operators note that while conversion centres are springing up rapidly in many states, investment in refuelling facilities has not kept pace with the rising number of CNG-powered vehicles.
The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has equally acknowledged the re-emergence of queues at CNG stations.
Speaking recently at a CNG stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, the Director-General of NADDC, Mr Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, said the challenge reflected infrastructure limitations rather than gas availability shortages.
“The queues are primarily a symptom of infrastructure deficits and not a shortage of gas supply. In many respects, they also demonstrate the level of public acceptance of CNG as a cheaper alternative to petrol,” he said.
Osanipin disclosed that the Federal Government was accelerating approvals and licensing processes to enable existing filling stations to install CNG dispensers quickly and at lower cost.
According to him, the government, through agencies such as the Presidential CNG Initiative and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), is working to expand the country’s CNG ecosystem rapidly.
“To eliminate these bottlenecks, we are collaborating with relevant agencies to significantly increase the number of functional dispensing points, conversion centres and technical support hubs across the country,” he stated.
