The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) has announced a major milestone, revealing that its efforts have led to over $800 million in private and public investments and created more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs since the programme’s inception.
Also, the agency noted that in just one year, the number of CNG-powered vehicles operating in Nigeria has soared past 100,000—a fivefold increase attributed to the Initiative’s rapid deployment and widespread adoption of cleaner, more affordable energy alternatives.
PCNGI brand & corporate communications manager, Matilda Johnson, who disclosed these on Friday, in response to recent “misleading media reports,” also added the recent landmark deployment by Dangote Group, featuring 4,000 CNG-powered trucks, 100 virtual pipeline vehicles, and multiple daughter stations, is just one high-profile testament to the Initiative’s impact.
Furthermore, she said that the PCNGI’s partnership with local Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has led to the rise of over 300 conversion centers, from just 7 at inception, with an average of 20 new centers opening weekly.
She therefore wonders why the Media has chosen to ignore these tangible outcomes, instead engaging in speculative reporting backed by unnamed sources and apparent personal agendas.
Johnson said the report that PCNGI pulled the list of approved conversion centers from its website to conceal information was untrue.
According to her, the website was undergoing scheduled updates to reflect a larger, more inclusive list of newly approved conversion centers, in line with PCNGI’s transparency standards.
She said the publication also “irresponsibly misrepresented the role and identity of one David Idakwo, portraying him as a senior decision-maker at PCNGI.”
“This is patently false. Mr. Idakwo, a mid-level field officer employed in late 2024, holds no executive role within the organisation and is not involved in strategic decision-making. Efforts to link his past private enterprise affiliations to allegations of nepotism are not only misleading but an affront to the right of every Nigerian to legitimate business pursuits,” she said.
“At PCNGI, we remain unwavering in our commitment to transparency, public accountability, and national development. Our ongoing efforts to ensure proper distribution of government-subsidised kits and enforce compliance have inevitably unsettled those seeking to benefit from corruption or sabotage,” she stated.
