On Friday, May 31, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Senate President Chief Godswill Akpabio, commissioned the NASENI All-in-One CNG reverse-engineering, training, filling, and conversion centre in Utako, Abuja.
The NASENI-Portland CNG Conversion and Training Centre is a collaborative effort between the National Agency for Science & Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and Portland Gas Limited. According to Khalil Suleiman Halilu, the NASENI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, the facility can convert 2,700 cars in one month.
It is a cutting-edge facility that converts fossil fuel vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG), a cleaner and more economical alternative.
Halilu highlighted the facility’s capacity, stating it can convert 15 cars every two hours, which translates to 2,700 conversions per month.
“Mr. President, by our calculations, if Nigeria can have 10 such facilities in each of the 36 states and the FCT, we will be able to convert every vehicle in the country to CNG within one year,” Halilu said. He urged the President to authorize NASENI to convert all vehicles in the State House fleet to CNG, demonstrating the agency’s capabilities.
Additionally, he offered to conduct CNG conversions for every Ministry, Department, and Agency of the Federal Government at a cost.
The centre, equipped with advanced technology and staffed by highly trained professionals, is designed to ensure efficient and safe vehicle conversions. Its primary aim is to build local capacity in CNG technology through comprehensive training programs for technicians, engineers, and other stakeholders.
This initiative is expected to foster the domestication of expertise in CNG systems and promote the widespread adoption of green energy solutions across Nigeria. Nigeria’s Minister for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo assured a steady gas supply to sustain this initiative, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of running vehicles on CNG compared to petrol and diesel.
He stated, “I am here to declare my support to NASENI and to say that gas will be available for this project. We are keying into the dream of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Reflecting on the recent removal of oil subsidies, Ekpo praised President Tinubu’s foresight in advocating for effective gas utilization. He encouraged citizens to convert their vehicles from petrol to CNG, emphasizing it as a cheaper and cleaner fuel option.
Ekpo also commended President Tinubu for his visionary leadership in leveraging Nigeria’s gas potential for economic growth and citizen welfare. He lauded NASENI for aligning with the President’s vision through this commendable CNG project.
The NASENI-Portland CNG conversion and training centre aims to spearhead the transition to cleaner energy in the automotive sector by enhancing local capacity and providing necessary training. This project supports the government’s environmental goals and aligns with broader global efforts to mitigate climate change and promote green technologies.