- FG plans to build 150 new CNG refuelling stations across Nigeria within 18 months to boost access to cleaner, cheaper fuel.
- Private firms like NIPCO, Bovas, and AY Shafa are constructing stations alongside NNPC’s ongoing rollout.
- Following safety concerns, the government will launch a vehicle monitoring system by year-end to ensure that only certified CNG vehicles are refuelled.
The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) plans to build 150 new CNG refuelling stations across Nigeria within 18 months.
PCNGI Chief Executive Michael Oluwagbemi announced the plan during a press briefing on Monday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He said the initiative will increase access to cheaper and cleaner fuel nationwide.
Oluwagbemi stated that the government brought in private companies to support the rollout. He noted that the plan aims to give Nigerians a reliable alternative to petrol.
He revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) already opened 12 CNG stations. NNPC also plans to open eight more before the end of the quarter. PCNGI approved the construction of 100 more stations within the next 18 to 24 months.
Several private companies have joined the effort. NIPCO runs 22 CNG stations and is building eight more. Bovas is developing eight new sites. AY Shafa completed one and is building nine additional stations.
Other firms, such as Ibile Oil and Gas, MBH, and Mikano, continue to invest in both large and small CNG stations.
Oluwagbemi said the private sector has shown strong support for the project. He believes this investment will lower transport costs and ease the impact of the removal of the petrol subsidy.
He also addressed safety concerns linked to a CNG explosion that injured three people in Benin City, Edo State, in October 2024. He said poorly made and illegally used CNG cylinders caused the blast. Security agencies arrested those involved.
To improve safety, the government will launch the Nigerian Gas Vehicle Monitoring System (NGVMS) by the end of the year. The system will allow only certified vehicles with approved CNG tanks to refuel.
Oluwagbemi explained that the new platform will monitor all CNG-powered vehicles. It will also help regulators track compliance and stop using illegal cylinders.
The government collaborated with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) to develop safety rules, which took effect in March 2024.
Oluwagbemi urged all CNG station operators, technicians, and vehicle owners to follow safety regulations strictly. He said full compliance will protect lives and boost trust in the CNG initiative.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to driving the CNG transition. The programme will create jobs, reduce carbon emissions, and promote clean energy use nationwide.
The CNG rollout is part of the government’s plan to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix and support efforts to ease fuel cost pressures on transport and logistics.