*Engr. Michael O. Oluwagbemi, PE, PMP, Programme Director/Chief Executive of Presidential CNG Initiative, asserts Nigeria is making progress with respect to CNG infrastructure, but engineering feats take some time, as he highlights some benefits of the intuitive since its inception May 2024

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Management of Nigeria鈥檚 Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI) has said it noted the latest alarmist headline on the fate of the thriving CNG sector by the skeptic section of the media, decrying the so-called infrastructure gap in a sector that is barely seven months old in operation nationwide.

Engr. Michael O. Oluwagbemi, PE, PMP, Programme Director/Chief Executive of PCNGI, who observed this in a statement Tuesday, June 3, 2025, said: 鈥淲e welcome the attention, but note the headlines do not do justice to incredible vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and speed of implementation of the same by the PCNGI.鈥�

Oluwagbemi said from May 2024, the programme had set out to implement its mandate in line with the directive and vision of Mr. President.

According to him, these are to offer incentive the adoption of CNG and EV vehicles to ensure sustainable transportation for all Nigerians; to facilitate investments into the alternative energy sector for transportation; and to coordinate regulation of the emerging sector for rapid growth.

He also explained because the initial desire of President Tinubu was greeted with skepticism, the start-up work of the PCNGI was to embark on an intensive awareness campaign which was conducted from May to October 2024.

The Programme Director/Chief Executive of PCNGI said hardly any CNG vehicles were on Nigerian roads, and no demand at the few eleven CNG stations nationwide since a 2017 pilot by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

Many, even our most ardent adherents were not convinced anyone will want CNG vehicles. Misinformation and fake news on CNG dominated the media space.

One year out, we are pleased that even the doubting Thomases are singing a new tune. With over 50,000 vehicle count and rising to 100,000 – the queues at CNG stations are naturally going to rise, because of such unprecedented increase (from mere 4000) in vehicle count as a result of massive incentive provided by the administration and the breakthrough in awareness due to the economic benefits of the switch.

Oluwagbemi: Nigerians love CNG, the programme is working.

Stressing the fact that the Nigerians love CNG, and the programme is working in the economy, the Programme Director/Chief Executive of PCNGI said indeed, the private sector as well as public partners that will develop the necessary infrastructure to meet the rising demand of CNG vehicles are taking note.

Last week, he stated, the PCNGI commissioned two new daughter stations, in Abuja, with AY Shafa and Femadec investing in these ventures.

Both entities have 9 and 21 daughter stations respectively in the works in the next one year.

For Femadec, the dual benefit of leading the charge of building CNG ecosystem in 20 universities is an icing on the cake, said he.

Oluwagbemi stated: 鈥淭his week, Yola is stepping up with Greenville investing, in its intensive roll out of LCNG stations in 51 locations across the North and SE as well as hard to reach places.

鈥淥ver 175 stations are being rolled out nationwide by various partners.鈥�

Besides Greenville and Femadec, the Programme Director/Chief Executive noted the PCNGI is backing partners to roll out 24 sites in the next 6-9 months, with one site already activated in Ilorin.

He equally disclosed that Port-Harcourt, Ado Ekiti, Lokoja, Abuja, Aba and Enugu would all go live within the next 60 to 120 days to dispense CNG, to scale the refuelling on-lending initiative heralded with the first launch in Ilorin, Kwara State, last year that have already transformed that local economy.

Aside from these, Oluwagbemi noted the NNPCL is investing in the programme. Additional 8 stations to its current stock of 12 are being finished as we speak and another 40 of 100 in Phase 2 of her roll out plan is being finalised.

According to him, Bovas is launching two sites in Ibadan any moment from now from its eight station roll out of ultra-modern CNG stations and ecosystem.

NIPCO鈥檚 eight stations in addition to 23 already live across the country will be completed within 6 months.

In the past week too, the Programme Coordinator affirmed the Midstream Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, a veritable partner in the process, awarded 10 new entries equity investments to develop their various gas projects.

Three of them were focused on developing CNG stations.

This was in addition to 4 of the 6 of initial 123 billion naira investments made last year by MDGIF being directed at the sub-sector.

Within a year, the CNG sector has attracted over $500 million in investments and created over 10,000 direct jobs.

255 new conversion centers that didn鈥檛 exist last year and 53 daughter stations exist today as a result of some of those investments.

Nigeria is making progress with respect to CNG infrastructure but engineering feats take time.

It took over 70 years to get addicted to petrol and diesel, it will take over seven months to be weaned off the addiction.

He also stated: 鈥淲e plead patience with the skeptics and wish platforms like Vanguard Newspaper will focus on the positive stories of empowerment and enablement instead of driving negative narratives to stand in the way of progress.

鈥淲e doubt anyone will need to convert a Bi-Fuel vehicle that is already running on both CNG and Petrol back to just run on Petrol since even the mere occurrence of CNG stations on a journey can result in up to ninety percent reduction in costs.

Vanguard was being alarmist and deliberately blind to progress and we understand their lonesomeness.鈥�

Oluwagbemi said at the Presidential CNG Initiative, 鈥渨e remain committed to our mandate while working hard across the value chain to deliver the goodies Mr. President has promised to all Nigerians.鈥�

He added with the aphoristic saying that 鈥淩ome was not built in a day鈥�, and CNG will take more than few days.

Kindly Share This Story