The Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI) has dismissed claims that the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector is facing infrastructure gaps, saying the sector is thriving with significant investments and growth.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a statement, PCNGI’s Program Director/Chief Executive, Engr. Michael O. Oluwagbemi, noted that the sector has attracted over $500 million in investments and created over 10,000 direct jobs in just one year.
According to Oluwagbemi, the PCNGI has made significant progress in implementing its mandate, including incentivizing the adoption of CNG and electric vehicles, facilitating investments, and coordinating regulations. “Nigeria is making progress with respect to CNG infrastructure, but engineering feats take time,” he said.
The PCNGI boss cited examples of private sector investments, including AY Shafa and Femadec, which are developing daughter stations, and Greenville, which is rolling out LCNG stations in 51 locations. NNPCL is also investing in additional CNG stations, with 8 new stations being completed and 40 more in the pipeline.
The statement partly reads: “Over 175 stations are being rolled out nationwide by various partners.
“In addition to Greenville and Femadec, the PCNGI is backing partners to roll out 24 sites in the next 6-9 months, with one site already activated in Ilorin. Port Harcourt, Ado Ekiti, Lokoja, Abuja, Aba and Enugu will all go live within the next 60 to 120 days to dispense CNG, to scale the refueling on-lending initiative heralded with the first launch in Ilorin last year that have already transformed that local economy.
“Aside from these, NNPCL is investing. Additional 8 stations to its current stock of 12 are being finished as we speak and another 40 of 100 in Phase 2 of her roll out plan is being finalized. Bovas is launching two sites in Ibadan any moment from now from its eight station roll out of ultra modern CNG stations and ecosystem. NIPCO’s 8 stations in addition to 23 already live across the country will be completed within 6 months.
“Just last week, the Midstream Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, a veritable partner in the process awarded ten new entries equity investments to develop their various gas projects. Three of them were focused on developing CNG stations. This was in addition to 4 of the 6 of initial 123 billion naira investments made last year by MDGIF being directed at the sub-sector. In one year, the CNG sector has attracted over $500 million in investments and created over 10,000 direct jobs. 255 new conversion centers that didn’t exist last year and 53 daughter stations exist today as a result of some of those investments.”
Oluwagbemi urged skeptics to be patient, noting that transitioning from petrol and diesel to CNG will take time.
“It took over seventy years to get addicted to petrol and diesel, it will take more than seven months to be weaned off the addiction,” he said.
