“Conversion Of Vehicles To CNG Will Cushion Effects Of Subsidy Removal’

The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (P-CNGi) has launched the Ogun State version of the Conversion Incentive Programme (CIP) saying that it would help to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative said the launch is in continuation of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment towards achieving the conversion of one million petroleum vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by 2027.

The launching, held in Abeokuta, the state capital, also witnessed the P-CNGi programme director, Michael Oluwagbemi presenting free CNG conversion kits to four conversion partners (CP) that signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with it for the purpose of running the programme for the presidency.

Addressing the stakeholders which included leadership of the transportation unions and captain of industries at the launching, Oluwagbemi said the initiative was part of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at cushioning the effects of fuel subsidy removal and promoting cleaner, safer and more reliable environment in Nigeria.

Oluwagbemi, who is also the chief executive officer (CEO) of P-CNGi, emphasised that the initiative will also enable the country to leverage its abundant resources in the country and urged stakeholders present to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the programme.

Fielding questions from journalists after the distribution of the free conversion kits to the stakeholders, Oluwagbemi said beneficiaries expected for the conversion programme would be by nomination from the three major transport unions which included the National Union of Road Transport Union Workers (NURTW), that of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) as well as Uber, Bolt and Oval drivers among others in the nation’s transportation sector.

“50 nominees from each of the three major transport unions will be utilising these four conversion centres. When this conversion starts, these vehicles will be able to fuel in any of the CNG refuelling stations. So, we will be able to go farther on using gas,” he said.

Oluwagbemi explained further that the Presidential Conversion Incentive Programme has succeeded at signing an MoU with 60 conversion partners for conversion centres from seven states compared to only seven centres which the initiative had in 2023 when it was newly introduced.