End CNG Queues Now

When the Nigerian government proposed and supported converting vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), a more affordable and cleaner energy source, motorists believed the long-awaited relief had finally arrived.

After suspending fuel subsidy payments, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration launched the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) to encourage CNG adoption and support Nigeria’s transition to a cleaner energy future. It was intended to offer what the government described as a cheaper, more affordable energy option.

Essentially, like most Nigerians, this newspaper viewed the government’s promotion of CNG as a win-win situation. Not only will it provide cheaper energy, thereby reducing transportation costs, but it will also support Nigeria’s backing of the global shift towards a green economy. The world is moving towards a low-carbon transition, and Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind.

With this notion in mind, we supported the move toward full adoption of CNG, which is generally believed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and cut maintenance costs.

It was therefore reassuring that, after a slow start and the initial scepticism often associated with such innovations, many vehicle owners converted their vehicles to CNG.

However, it is increasingly clear that what was meant to provide relief to car owners has turned into a nightmare, as they continue to spend hours in long queues waiting to access CNG. A Nigerian visiting the CNG refuelling stations might think the country has returned to the days when car owners slept at filling stations, endlessly searching for fuel.

The scarcity of CNG and the resulting long queues in the country’s major cities, especially in Abuja and Lagos, have turned what initially seemed like a great relief into a hardship for many car owners.

Already, some car owners are expressing regret for converting their vehicles to CNG. How come what started on a good note, providing car owners with cheaper, affordable options, has turned into a nightmare? What is responsible for the seemingly endless scarcity of CNG? What is the Nigerian government doing about it?

It is disturbing to note that the scarcity of CNG is not due to a lack of natural gas. Instead, it results from inadequate refilling infrastructure, limited dispensing compressors, and logistical bottlenecks. There is clearly an infrastructure gap, indicating that the government did not address key infrastructure issues before promoting the conversion. Sad. But that is what it is.

Curiously, the Nigerian government failed to match its push for the widespread adoption of CNG with aggressive investment in dispensing facilities, such as refuelling stations, which are severely inadequate. In major cities like Abuja and Lagos, you can count the number of such stations instantly. In most state capitals, there is either one or none.

The scarcity of CNG and the hardship it has exposed car owners to have put the lie to Nigeria’s claim to implement policies aimed at reducing transportation costs, lowering carbon emissions, and encouraging greater investment in alternative energy.

Fundamentally, it has shown that very little progress, if any, has been made under the Bola Tinubu administration in promoting CNG adoption. There are many infrastructure and financing gaps requiring urgent attention.

Although the push towards CNG adoption appears to be a commendable effort, it is now seen as a nightmare by most motorists, who continue to regret converting their vehicles. This does not serve as a good endorsement for those supporting the CNG initiative. If this trend persists, it will not only eliminate the benefits the conversion initially provided but also dissuade many car owners from switching to CNG.

The Nigerian government has only one option: eliminate the long CNG queues without delay. Nigerians believe the days of motorists sleeping at fuel stations are over. Those days should not return. Not now. Not in the future. Never again!

When citizens face numerous challenges, as Nigerians do now, the least the government can do is alleviate their hardships. The government should enhance its efforts by creating strategies to expand the number of CNG refuelling stations and attract private-sector investment.

Most importantly, the government must lead the process by significantly investing in infrastructure, refuelling stations, and dispensing compressors, among other measures that will not only permanently eliminate queues but also demonstrate its commitment to a green economy.