By Milcah Tanimu
The Federal Government has announced the delivery of 60 locally assembled Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) hybrid buses. This milestone, part of the Presidential CNG Initiative, aims to enhance public transportation while promoting sustainable energy solutions.
Jet Motor Company provided the buses, which were handed over to a team from the Ministry of Finance and the Presidential Initiative on CNG (Pi-CNG) at their manufacturing plant in Ajah, Lagos State. This delivery underscores the government’s commitment to offering affordable and efficient transport options for Nigerians.
President Bola Tinubu highlighted the strategic shift towards CNG in his recent national address amid ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests. He emphasized the need to reduce Nigeria’s dependency on oil-based fuels, which has been exacerbated by the recent removal of fuel subsidies. The President’s initiative is designed to leverage the country’s abundant gas resources to power transportation and reduce overall costs.
Tinubu stated, “Our country is richly endowed with both oil and gas. However, we inherited an economy overly reliant on oil-based petrol and neglecting our gas resources. The launch of the CNG Initiative aims to transform this situation, saving over N2 trillion monthly previously spent on importing petrol and diesel.”
Additionally, the government plans to distribute one million conversion kits at minimal or no cost to commercial vehicles, which are major consumers of imported fuel. This initiative is expected to cut transportation costs by approximately 60% and contribute to mitigating inflation.