ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Federal Government has introduced new measures to curb the use of substandard kits in converting petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG), in a bid to prevent potential explosions during refilling.
On Thursday, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, officially launched the Nigerian Gas Vehicle Monitoring System (NGVMS) a major step toward ensuring safety, accountability, and environmental sustainability in the nation’s CNG industry.
Speaking at the pilot launch held at an NNPC Retail Station in Abuja, Ekpo said, “the NGVMS will ensure that only vehicles converted at accredited facilities with certified kits can access CNG at approved stations.”
According to a statement by his spokesman, Louis Ibah, the minister explained that the monitoring system will provide “end-to-end oversight, from conversion to refuelling, guaranteeing the safety of citizens and the integrity of Nigeria’s growing CNG ecosystem.”
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Ekpo described the initiative as a major milestone under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Decade of Gas Initiative, which aims to make CNG a safe, affordable, and sustainable energy alternative for Nigerians.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Initiative on CNG (PiCNG), Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed that over $1 billion in private sector investments have been injected into Nigeria’s CNG value chain.
He also revealed that more conversion and refuelling stations will be inaugurated nationwide before the end of the year.
At the event, leaders of major transport unions thanked President Tinubu for initiating the PiCNG, which they said has helped cushion the impact of the 2023 fuel subsidy removal.
They noted that the initiative had provided over one million free CNG kits, buses, and tricycles, significantly lowering transportation costs and, in turn, reducing food prices nationwide.
The union leaders urged the government to prioritise commercial vehicles under the CNG project and expand refuelling infrastructure across all states.
“Additionally, they appealed for the expansion of CNG stations nationwide, noting that only a few states currently have CNG conversion and refuelling stations. This, they believe, would further enhance the effectiveness of the initiative,” the statement added.