- Plateau State, with NCDMB and Thermolinks Limited, has launched a five-day training programme on CNG conversion, safety and maintenance for 120 youths.
- The initiative supports Nigeria’s cleaner energy transition while building technical skills and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people.
The Plateau State Government has launched a five-day training programme on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion, safety and maintenance. The state is implementing the programme with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Thermolinks Limited. The initiative will train 120 youths across the state.
Officials began the training at the Federal Secretariat in Jos. The programme aligns with the Federal Government’s National Gas Expansion Programme. The national programme promotes cleaner, safer and more affordable energy alternatives.
Plateau State Deputy Governor Josephine Piyo declared the programme open. She represented Governor Caleb Mutfwang at the event. She said the initiative supports the administration’s youth development and sustainability agenda.
Piyo said the training goes beyond technical gas conversion skills. She also said the programme prepares young people for entrepreneurship and participation in Nigeria’s evolving energy economy.
Furthermore, she commended the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board for expanding the initiative beyond oil-producing regions. She said the move demonstrates national inclusion and commitment to local capacity development.
The Project Director of Thermolinks Limited, Mr Tonye Briggs, disclosed that Plateau is the fifth state to benefit from the programme. He praised the level of institutional support received from the state government.
Meanwhile, Briggs explained that the training combines classroom learning with hands-on vehicle conversion sessions. He added that each participant will receive a starter toolkit and two certification documents, including one backed by the Federal Government.
He further disclosed that trainees will be added to a national database of certified CNG technicians, strengthening their employability across the country.
Briggs highlighted growing demand for CNG technicians, noting that more than 70 per cent of newly introduced heavy-duty trucks nationwide now operate on CNG, with thousands more deployed recently.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Transport, Davou Jatau, described the programme as timely and innovative. He revealed that the state is working toward establishing a dedicated CNG conversion centre in Jos.
However, he called for accelerated federal intervention to expand CNG refilling infrastructure, noting that gas supply access remains a major implementation challenge.
The General Manager of the Plateau State Energy Services Corporation, Engr. Ponzing Gamde, emphasised the environmental and economic benefits of the programme.
Gamde said the initiative supports clean energy adoption, reduces environmental degradation and equips youths with skills that can provide long-term income opportunities.
He described the programme as both a workforce development initiative and an environmental sustainability intervention for Plateau State.