NADDC, NYSC Train 300 Corps Members In CNG Vehicle Retrofitting

The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has commenced a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) retrofitting training programme for 300 corps members across the country.

The initiative, launched on August 11, 2026, at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja, is being implemented under the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said Nigeria’s transition to cleaner, cheaper and more sustainable energy would create opportunities for young Nigerians in emerging industries.

Olawande stressed the importance of equipping corps members with practical and technical skills that could translate into employment, income generation and sustainable businesses.

The Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, described the programme as a strategic investment in youth development and an important step towards building the technical workforce required for Nigeria’s growing CNG and clean mobility sector.

He said the availability of skilled technicians and safety professionals was essential to the successful expansion of CNG vehicle conversion and maintenance in the country.

Osanipin urged the participating corps members to take the training seriously and utilise the opportunity to develop careers in the automotive and clean-energy sectors.

He also announced that the participants would receive certification at no cost, while urging them to comply strictly with safety requirements throughout the training.

The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, said the initiative would initially be implemented in six locations representing Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

The pilot programme covers the Federal Capital Territory, Kano, Adamawa, Lagos, Edo and Enugu states.

According to Nafiu, participating corps members will acquire practical skills in CNG vehicle conversion and maintenance, complementing existing opportunities under the SAED programme.

He said the specialised training would improve the beneficiaries’ chances of securing employment or establishing businesses after completing their national service.

The programme is being supported by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles (PCNGI-EV), and the Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives (Monitoring and Delivery), Dr Titilope Gbadamosi.

The collaboration between NADDC and NYSC is expected to strengthen youth participation in Nigeria’s transition towards cleaner transportation while addressing the need for qualified personnel in the country’s emerging CNG and automotive industries.