President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate rollout of 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits across the country within the next two to three weeks as part of measures to cushion the impact of rising petrol and diesel prices on Nigerians.
The directive was disclosed on Tuesday by Ismaeel Ahmed after a meeting with the president at the State House in Abuja.
Ahmed explained that the move was prompted by escalating tensions in the Middle East, which have driven up global petroleum prices and increased transportation costs for Nigerians.
According to him, the president sought updates on efforts by the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas to expand the availability of gas-powered alternatives nationwide.
“The President, as usual, is always trying to get information on what is going on, especially with the war in the Middle East and the rising cost of petrol and diesel,” Ahmed said.
He noted that Tinubu was keen to understand how the initiative—known as Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas—is scaling up infrastructure and accessibility for CNG across the country.
“The President wanted to know what we are doing at the Pi-CNG and EV to scale up the availability of gas and CNG everywhere in the country so that people would have less cost of transportation,” Ahmed added.
He further revealed that Tinubu issued a direct mandate for the rapid deployment of conversion kits, which enable vehicles powered by petrol or diesel to switch to natural gas.
The initiative is part of the federal government’s broader push to promote alternative energy sources and reduce dependence on conventional fuel, particularly as rising global oil prices continue to affect local transportation costs.
Officials say the mass rollout of the kits is expected to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to cleaner and more affordable energy options while providing relief to motorists and commercial transport operators facing high fuel prices.
