Arewa Unity Forum (AUF) has called on the federal government to decentralise and ensure an inclusive rollout of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme to ensure fair access and participation for all regions, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
The AUF said this while expressing concern about the current implementation approach, which it said appears to sideline Northern Nigeria from meaningful participation and benefits.
The national chairman of AUF, Nasiru Umar, said in a statement that the present CNG programme is “heavily skewed in favour of a single entity which has received the lion’s share of government support, including funding and import approvals for the infrastructure of CNG, all equipment.”
The chairman of the AUF, who commended the federal government for launching the CNG programme as a cleaner, more affordable alternative to petrol and diesel, and sustainable energy and economic transformation, nonetheless said the current monopolistic structure has effectively excluded Northern Nigeria from access to essential CNG infrastructure, conversion centres, and affordable technology.
In its recommendations to address the imbalance, the body said, “We respectfully call on His Excellency, Mr President, to mandate a decentralised and inclusive rollout of the CNG programme, ensuring fair access and participation for all regions, particularly Northern Nigeria.
“We urge the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to initiate and support CNG infrastructure projects in the North, and to foster Northern-led involvement in the value chain.
We call on the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to intensify its regulatory oversight, guaranteeing that all CNG kits, cylinders, compressors, dispensers, conversion tools, mobile cascades, testing units, and refuelling stations meet national and international safety standards. Access to this complete and comprehensive suite of CNG infrastructure equipment is critical to ensure safe, efficient, and region-wide adoption.
“We appeal to development agencies such as TETFund, BOI, and SMEDAN to provide funding, training, and technical support to Northern entrepreneurs aspiring to participate in the CNG ecosystem.”
It added that Nigeria’s energy transition must be inclusive, safe, and strategically balanced across all regions for it to succeed.
“Ensuring equitable implementation of the CNG program is not only a matter of justice—it is essential to national unity, sustainable development, and economic resilience,” AUF said.
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