By Saminu Ibrahim
A group, The Democratic Front, TDF, has commended state governors for their decision to invest massively in Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, infrastructure, saying the move would accelerate efforts to reduce transportation costs across the country.
The group said the governors’ resolution was a clear indication of their willingness to collaborate with the Federal Government in making transportation more affordable for Nigerians.
In a statement by its Chairman, Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Wale Adedayo, TDF said the development had strengthened President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s long-standing push for CNG as a cheaper and sustainable alternative to petrol and diesel.
TDF recalled that Tinubu launched the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, PCNGI, in August 2023, shortly after the removal of petroleum subsidy, as part of measures to cushion the impact of the policy on Nigerians.
According to the group, despite the challenges involved in developing CNG infrastructure nationwide, the initiative has so far led to the construction of 90 certified CNG filling stations and over 450 conversion centres across 23 states.
It added that more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG, while another 100,000 conversion kits were currently in operation across the country.
The group noted that commercial transport operators in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Enugu had increasingly migrated from Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, to CNG because of its lower energy cost.
It also said a significant number of heavy-duty interstate transporters who previously relied on Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, otherwise known as diesel, had embraced CNG as a cheaper alternative.
TDF said the development showed that Tinubu’s CNG policy was gradually transforming the transportation sector while providing an alternative source of energy to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
It, however, acknowledged that CNG penetration remained slow, attributing the situation partly to inadequate infrastructure.
The group expressed optimism that the governors’ decision to invest in CNG infrastructure would accelerate the transition from PMS to CNG and expand access to the alternative fuel nationwide.
It said: “This collective decision by the State Governors to explore CNG in addressing the rising cost of transportation has once again validated President Tinubu’s position that the solution to high cost of transportation is not in the reintroduction of another opaque and disastrous petroleum subsidy regime.
“But the accelerated development of cheaper and affordable sources of energy like CNG and electric vehicles for transportation.”
TDF also welcomed the establishment of an implementation committee to coordinate Federal and state government measures aimed at reducing transportation costs from October 1, 2026.
According to the group, the initiative would help Nigerians save money on exorbitant inter- and intra-state transportation fares while reducing the cost of moving food from farms to markets.
The group urged Nigerians to support the CNG initiative, stressing that the failure of previous administrations to develop adequate CNG infrastructure was responsible for its slow adoption in the country.
It expressed confidence that sustained investment in CNG infrastructure would make cheaper and more sustainable energy readily accessible to Nigerians.
