FUEL HIKE: FG commences roll-out of 10,000 kits across Lagos, Ogun others
•As commercial drivers besiege centres to convert vehicles
•Conversion kits to states, targets 1m vehicles
•Partners, beneficiaries speak on benefits
Last weekend, the Federal Government, commenced the distribution of the free Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, kits at various conversion centres across the country, in an aggressive drive aimed at enhancing CNG utilization in the country.
This development comes as commercial drivers in Lagos in their droves massed to various conversion centres across the state to convert their vehicles from petroleum-powered to CNG – powered engine.
In a commendable move to kickstart the CNG initiative, the Tinubu administration created the Conversion Incentive Program, aimed at ensuring that the CNG conversion was pushed out, especially through the mass transit and commercial vehicles routes.
It would be recalled that the P-CNGi established by President Bola Tinubu to make available a platform for CNG conversion, and also to ensure that it was adopted, accepted and implemented.
The P-CNGi campaign in Lagos brought together representatives from the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Tricyclists popularly known as ‘Keke Napepe’ among others from across the Southwest including Ogun, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo and Oyo States.
During the Road Show to various centres, the Commercial Operations Manager, P-CNGi, Omoh Omoukhuede, stated that to give teeth to the initiative, the Federal Government had begun the deployment of 10,000 kits over the next couple of weeks.
In his words, “We are here today as part of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative set up by Mr. President to create not only a platform for CNG conversion but also to ensure that CNG is adopted, accepted, and implemented.
“As part of our initiative, we have created the Conversion Incentive Program to push CNG conversion, especially through mass transit and commercial vehicles. To kickstart this, we are deploying 10,000 kits over the next few weeks. Today, we have started with 1,000 kits going out to locations in Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Abuja, and Lagos. We are here at the Portland Ojota Conversion Center as part of the First Conversion Incentive Program with P-CNGi.
“For you to fill up your car right now is going to cost you an arm and a leg. But if you convert to CNG, you’re looking at savings of almost 80 percent compared to what you spend on petrol. For instance, to fill up a normal Toyota four-cylinder car used to cost roughly between N20,000 and N35,000, and now it is going up to about N40,000, N45,000, or even N50,000. But with CNG, you will spend no more than N5,000 and cover a similar distance. This is amazing.”
FG’s eyes 1million cars
Omoukhuede noted that the Federal Government had given order for the conversion of a million cars between now and 2027. He said the directive was on the right track. “We believe that if we keep pushing through this incentive program, especially touching the hearts and minds of the pockets of people, especially Nigerians in the transportation system, we’ll be able to achieve this, he added.
According to Omoukhuede, the opportunity to push through the CNG initiative would be rigorously pursued starting with the mass transit operators. He noted that the idea was central to the success of the mass transit system in Lagos and other states, especially from a transportation point of view citing the implications of the present fuel crisis in the country.
“We all know the impact of the fuel price, we understand fully that we have alternatives, gas is one of them.”
He added that “For CNG, you will not spend anything more than N5,000. And you will cover pretty much the same amount of distance as you would if you fill up your car.
“This is quite spectacle for a lot of people to actually tap into. We urge the private sector as well to come in, to also support this initiative”, he appealed adding that the federal government cannot do it alone.
Partners, experts express optimism, speak on benefits
Managing Director, NASENI Portland Gas Limited, Mr. Folajimi Mohammed, noted that the initiative was coming on the heels of higher fuel prices which have affected Nigerians.
He stated that the centre had received 50 kits and would convert 50 commercial vehicles into CNG, “At the moment we have over 30 vehicles, so we have a mark of 50. Once we hit the mark of 50, then we have to close adding it’s a free initiative given to the mass transit by the federal government.
“Aside that CNG is a safe gas, it is safer than the petrol combustion, it reduces emissions, as well as promoting cleaner energy adding it’s going to be on the first-come, first-served basis.
“She stated that, if we have a lot of the mass transit vehicles being retrofitted with the CNG, it will lower the cost of food, cost of transportation, and then Nigerians get to smile actually.”
On his part, the Chief Operating Officer, of the company, Michelle Ejiofor added that introducing the CNG into the vehicle, and retrofitting it, actually gives a better emissions as well as it reducing the cost of transportation adding that’s a cleaner energy, and cleaner source of oil.
While calling on all Nigerians to embrace the federal government initiative, she lauded the government for also now collaborating with different conversion centers who had been given the mandate to convert these various vehicles into CNG.
“So for the first-come, first-served program, we have called on various vehicles to come, now, these vehicles will be inspected, will be diagnosed.
“Now, the vehicles that actually pass the test will be keyed into the system for the actual conversion. So if your vehicle doesn’t pass the test, then it means you would need to step aside, and maybe if you have minor repairs to do, then you can go ahead and do that and wait for the next program”.
Basically, we have a diagnostic machine, and then we have the engineers on ground who would inspect your vehicles physically and also using the machine, so once you’re good to go, then we key in you for the conversion, she further added.
At the Dana Motors conversion center, the Chief Commercial Officer, Dana Motors, Matthews Kuruvilla, announced that as partners to the P-CNGi on the personal initiative for the conversion, Dana Motors had started the conversion for the commercial vehicles, starting with the commercial vehicles.
According to him, “It’s a good thing, because considering all the other schemes that have been rolling out, we’re actually seeing the results. The kits are here, the vehicles are here, the gas is much cheaper compared to normal fuel, it’s almost 70 percent cheaper compared to normal fuel. So we are proud partners, and we are doing it in this location and other locations of Dana Motors.
“So we are most happy to be part of the P-CNGi, and to convert as many vehicles as possible to CNG, starting with commercial vehicles. We are also just converting ride-sharing vehicles; also we are reaching out to our private customers to convert their vehicles also to CNG.”
Asked the current challenges likely to militate against the smooth take off of the CNG initiative, Kuruvilla, said there was a need to increase the number of fuel filling stations, adding however that Dana Motors is working with partners, who are also working with many partners.
Nothing there is available gas in Nigeria, Kuruvilla said, “we just have to have filling stations, which I’m sure in the next couple of months, and by the time these vehicles are on the road, we will have many filling stations in the country”.
The chief Commercial Officer, said aside the intervention that the Nigerian government is doing through the Dana Motors, that the company is planning to have CNG ready vehicles, new vehicles that will be CNG retrofitted adding that Dana Motors is also the importers of Kia vehicles.
“So any Kia vehicle which is coming in, we can offer them as CNG vehicles also. The P-CNGi is for converting existing vehicles, so we are also going to have new vehicles also with CNG. We’re getting CNG buses; we’re already supplying CNG buses for many states, in the MDS, so that also is there. “We’re also doing new vehicles with CNG”, he added.
However, Member, Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyekale Ayodele Jelili, hinted that some drivers had done the conversion adding it’s far cheaper than the cost of fuel. According to the beneficiaries, instead of fuel of N40,000, N50,000 per day, it came down to as low as N5,000, N6,000 for gas.
Asked whether he’s also going to ensure that this reflects on the price and the cost of transportation and also compel those who had converted to also make transportation cheaper, Jelili responded in the positive.
“Once the price, the cost of bringing a vehicle out comes down, we automatically lower the cost of transportation. Because instead of fuel of N45,000 per day, it comes down to N5,000, automatically, the cost of transportation will come lower”, the NURTW member stated adding a friend of his had done it, while he’s going to follow the same direction.
Jelili said with the CNG conversion the cost of fare say from Lagos to Ibadan would be reduced to as low as N1,500, going through the normal road price.
