A widespread apathy among commercial drivers in Lagos has significantly stalled the conversion of vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) even after the federal government through the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) distributed free kits to conversion partners in the state.
The PCNGi, is a component of the palliative intervention of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration directed at providing succour to the masses occasioned by the transitive hardships of the fuel subsidy removal policy of the federal government .
The agency aims to raise $25 million in to cover its pilot phase, $75 million by the end of 2024, and $250 million by 2027 to support the development of CNG infrastructure for Nigeria.
The pilot programme started with 21,000 units and 10 participants workshops and it projects that by the end of 2024, it will reach 150,000 units and 250 participants workshops.
Looking ahead to 2027, it projects to achieve 1 million units and 500 participants workshops.
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However, after donating 150 free kits for free conversion of vehicles in Lagos, about 10 conversions have been completed due to what partners described as unresponsiveness on the part of targeted beneficiaries.
An assessment of the project carried out by LEADERSHIP Sunday shows lack of interest among commercial vehicle operators who are offered the conversion kits free of charge through PCNGi partners.
About three weeks ago, a team of the Agency led by the the commercial operations manager of the PCNGi, Omo Imoukhuede, delivered 150 kits to Dana Group, Portland Gas and AutoGIG, and urged them to accelerate the process through the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state.
According to Imoukhuede, the conversion and installation are free for commercial operators, with a 50 per cent subsidy on the cost of conversion kits for rideshare operators.
LEADERSHIP check at Portland Gas, showed that only 10 vehicles have been converted so far.
Chief operating officer, Portland Gas, Michelle Ejiofor, told our Correspondent that though the company is expected to convert 50 vehicles, only 10 have been converted due to certain engineering requirements.
“Our engineers have to open the vehicle manifold and carry out proper inspections and this is cumbersome as most of the vehicles are not originally configured to operate on CNG” she explained.
Ejiofor said, though the operation is ongoing, it is challenging and time consuming.
At AutoGIG, our Correspondent was told that conversion had not commenced three weeks after they received the kits. The managing director/CEO of the company, Tope Bukola Ojo, said widespread apathy on the side of transporters has largely delayed the conversion process.
“There is a lot of misinformation out there and we have not received the kind of enthusiasm expected from the NURTW. On our part our team has been going after them urging them to bring their vehicles for conversion. In some cases the drivers would say they are busy and would only bring their vehicles when time permits.” he disclosed.
Although he said the firm has carried out assessments of about 100 vehicles, only 33 have passed the tests for conversion. Ojo also listed other challenges like the provided CNG tanks accompanying the kits which do not fit into spaces of some of the vehicles.
He also said, the company would also need to calibrate the equipment and some components of the vehicles like reprogramming their brainbox to allow for seamless conversion like the tank sitter system.
Another challenge he mentioned that is delaying the process is software development which they have added to the module to allow for CNG conversion. He said, the pre-conversion assessment is critical as generic application of the conversion process would not work.
Ojo, called for a strategic nationwide campaign and awareness programme as he raised serious concerns that except more realistic scenarios play out the programme will suffer significant setbacks.
Meanwhile, the agency has announced a series of events and activities planned for the week of Nigeria’s Independence.
These initiatives aim to increase the adoption of CNG as a cleaner, more affordable alternative to fuel.
To kick off the lineup of activities of the CNG Transport Fare Drop Programme which will include the signing ceremony with National Union of Road Transport Workers covering the Abuja to Itakpe Station – Ajaokuta Train Station – Adavi to convert fleet vehicles to CNG in return for 30-40 per cent fare reduction.
This programme will serve as an incentive to NURTW members in Abuja to convert their vehicles to CNG in exchange for a fare reduction.
The PCNGi said it continued its nationwide commercial incentive programme for commercial cars open day, expanding to 38 centres in Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta and Edo state on Saturday, 28th of September 2024.
