Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has said that the CNG rollout will be ready by the first quarter of 2024.
He said this in a video shared by the NNPCL on several key facts that Nigerians need to know following the company’s recent agreement with Nipco Plc.
The agreement involves the development of CNG infrastructure and ensuring delivery to Nigerians as an alternative fuel for vehicles after the fuel subsidy removal increased the prices of fuel in the country
Kyari said the CNG rollout will be in phases, as reported previously by Nairametrics.
According to Kyari, the first phase will comprise 21 CNG stations which will support intra-city transportation and will be ready by the first quarter of 2024.
Expect CNG at NNPCL stations and regular stations around the country
Kyari said:
- “While the second phase comprising 35 CNG stations will support intercity transportation and be ready in 2024 also.
- “This will be further complemented by the additional 56 stations to be deployed by NNPC Retail stations across the country. Nipco Gas is currently operating 14 CNG stations across Nigeria and has converted over 7,000 vehicles to run on CNG.
- “Nipco’s technical competence and field experience will bolster this initiative’s success and amplify its positive impact on the nation’s economy.
- “This initiative would liberate Nigeria’s abundant gas resources to bring multiple benefits to Nigerians including access to cheaper fuel, reduced cost of transportation, reduced carbon emissions, and create new businesses and job opportunities.”
Safety concerns
Kyari also said that compressed natural gas (CNG) is safe to use for cars. Kyari said:
- “CNG is even safer than petrol. I am sure we will continue to engage the public on the safety of these cylinders so that institutions will allow vehicles carrying these cylinders in their boots to have access, we do not see any problem with this.
- “We think that safety is assured and guaranteed and of course, I am sure you may never have had any combustion anywhere, but it does happen but of course, the risk is very low.”
CNG use in other countries
Kyari also highlighted the fact that CNG-based transportation has been done in other countries. According to him, almost every tricycle (keke napep) in India makes use of CNG.
He also mentioned Pakistan, and Indonesia as examples. However, he said that CNG use has not substantially developed in Africa because of economic reasons.
He said:
- “But I think now we are seeing the advantage of this, and we will leverage it because many things are dependent on outside technology, but we are bringing them home now.
- “Many of the key conversion companies are now agreeing to come and establish conversion kit manufacturing outfits in the country now and this is good news for our country to create more jobs and opportunities.”
This is a welcome development.
CNG may be cheaper initially, but when demand goes up, prices will go up too, and it will no longer be cheap. It happened with cooking gas, and it is going to happen with CNG too.