Tinubu Expands CNG Initiative To Include Electric Vehicles

President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PiCNG) to incorporate electric vehicles (EVs), the Presidency announced on Thursday.
Following the approval, the initiative will now operate under a new name , the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PiCNG & EV).

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement, noting that the expanded mandate positions the initiative to drive Nigeria’s clean mobility transition.

“With this approval, PiCNG & EV will lead and coordinate Nigeria’s clean mobility strategy, covering both gas-powered and electric vehicles nationwide,” the statement said.

The initiative will continue to promote the rollout of critical CNG infrastructure, including mother and daughter stations, integrated refuelling units, and nationwide vehicle conversion programmes.

It will also oversee the development and deployment of electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and related investments across the country.

As part of the new directive, President Tinubu has instructed the Executive Chairman of PiCNG & EV to immediately establish a coordinated framework for the rapid distribution of vehicle conversion kits nationwide, ensuring they are affordable and accessible to Nigerians.

To support this, the initiative is expected to collaborate with financial institutions and partners, including CreditCorp Nigeria, to design flexible financing options that will ease the cost burden of vehicle conversion.

The President further ordered the accelerated rollout of Mobile Refuelling Units to improve access to CNG, pending the expansion of permanent infrastructure.

The Presidency noted that compressed natural gas remains a strategic and cost-effective fuel option for transportation, given Nigeria’s vast gas reserves, estimated at over 200 trillion cubic feet. It added that the shift would help reduce transportation costs, enhance energy security, and conserve foreign exchange.

The inclusion of electric vehicles is also expected to strengthen the government’s push for a more efficient and environmentally sustainable transport system.

Launched in 2023, the Presidential CNG Initiative is part of the Federal Government’s broader response to the impact of fuel subsidy removal, with a target of converting one million vehicles to run on compressed natural gas.