President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI).
Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale in a statement on Friday said the move is in furtherance of his commitment to easing the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians by reducing energy costs.
According to Ngelale, the initiative is to revolutionize the transportation landscape in the country, targeting over 11,500 new CNG-enabled vehicles and 55,000 CNG conversion kits for existing PMS-dependent vehicles.
He said it will simultaneously bolster in-country manufacturing, local assembly and expansive job creation in line with the presidential directive.
“The landmark initiative, which comprises of a Comprehensive Adoption Strategy, will include the following: Empowering Workshops Programme w/ Nationwide Network of Workshops, Local Assembly and Job Creation as key points of emphasis with an initial focus on mass transit systems and student hubs in order to significantly reduce transit costs for the general populace in the immediate term.”
The PCNGI will facilitate the provision of workshops across all geopolitical zones and states with essential kits and comprehensive training for newly employed staff, thus creating new opportunities for technical skill development and employment for Nigerians.
“The new nationwide network of workshops, to be established through the initiative, would ensure widespread access and demand side utilization of CNG technology and CNG-related expertise, thereby facilitating smoother transitions for vehicle owners at the wider benefit of the Nigerian economy.”
Ngelale stated that under the aegis of the PCNGI, there will be development of new stakeholder-operated Intrastate Mass Transit systems built on CNG and Support for states to onboard new CNG buses.
Also the deployment of CNG buses through existing Private Mass Transit operators, including new financing programmes for operators through an innovative asset finance programme.
The spokesperson said Tinubu’s focus on assembling CNG-enabled vehicles within the country will stimulate economic growth, create employment opportunities, and bolster the nation’s automotive manufacturing capabilities.
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