FG Defends ₦100bn CNG Plan, Says 120,000 Vehicles Converted
The Federal Government has defended its decision to redirect the proposed ₦100 billion allocation for the procurement of 3,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, saying the revised strategy has delivered broader benefits through vehicle conversions, tricycles and buses of different passenger capacities.
The Chief Operating Officer of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG), Tosin Coker, said the government reviewed the original plan after establishing the initiative in October 2023, concluding that purchasing 3,000 buses alone would not adequately address the country’s transportation challenges.
Coker disclosed this during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Sunday, explaining that the funds were redirected towards conversion kits, buses with larger passenger capacities and other transportation options to reach more Nigerians.
He said the revised approach initially focused on commercial vehicles, with more than 25,000 conversions recorded during the programme’s first phase.
According to him, the initiative has since facilitated the conversion of more than 120,000 vehicles and introduced over 650 buses nationwide, alongside CNG-powered tricycles.
Coker explained that the buses deployed under the programme range from smaller models carrying between 15 and 18 passengers to 50-seater buses and high-capacity vehicles capable of transporting approximately 90 passengers.
He added that at least 60 CNG buses had been deployed in Lagos, while between 40 and 50 were operating in Abuja. Further deployments to other states are expected as the programme expands.
The Pi-CNG official, however, acknowledged that the number of CNG-powered buses and tricycles currently operating on Nigerian roads remained inadequate to meet the country’s transportation needs.
He said additional CNG and electric vehicles had been ordered, expressing optimism that Nigerians would witness a significant increase in alternative-fuel transportation in the coming weeks and months.
On the cost of vehicle conversions, Coker said the initiative was collaborating with the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation and other financing providers to make the process more affordable.
He put the cost of conversion at about ₦350,000 and above, depending on the type of vehicle, adding that eligible customers could access payment arrangements spread across three, six or 12 months.
Coker also stressed that the deployment of CNG buses was being guided by the availability of gas infrastructure, warning that sending the vehicles to areas without adequate refuelling facilities could undermine their effectiveness.
He urged state governments to increase investments in public transportation, noting that the Federal Government could not independently meet the country’s growing mobility demands.
The government’s defence comes amid concerns over whether the CNG programme is delivering the promised reductions in transportation costs following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Coker acknowledged that commuters were more concerned about affordable fares than the number of vehicles converted or deployed, admitting that more work was needed to ensure the programme translated into lower daily transportation expenses.
President Bola Tinubu had announced the ₦100 billion plan to procure 3,000 CNG buses in July 2023, before the presidential initiative was established.
The programme has since expanded to include vehicle conversions and electric mobility as part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to reduce transportation costs and promote alternative energy sources.
