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| A CNG station at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, photographed in August 2026. File photograph. Pink Edit / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 public domain dedication. |
The Federal Government is pursuing plans for up to 1,000 additional compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling stations as it seeks to widen access to the fuel and lower transportation expenses.
Ismaeel Ahmed, Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles, outlined the expansion programme at the maiden National CNG Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, 3 November.
Of the 232 facilities he identified nationwide, Ahmed said 105 were operational, while developers were working on another 127. The initiative’s website also lists 105 existing refuelling stations.
“The government is working towards implementing President Bola Tinubu’s directive for 500 additional stations, alongside another 500 subsequently announced to improve nationwide access to CNG.
“Nigeria’s estimated 215 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves and vehicle population of about 12.6 million present significant opportunities for developing the CNG market,” he said.
Ahmed identified gas supply and distribution infrastructure as constraints on the expansion. He called for investment in pipelines, compression facilities, virtual pipeline systems and the logistics needed to supply stations.
He put transportation’s share of household expenditure at between 15 and 22 per cent, arguing that wider use of CNG-powered vehicles could ease that burden.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti also addressed the relationship between vehicle conversion and fuel availability. Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters, Emenike Onyembi, he said affordable prices, accessible stations and compliance with safety standards would determine motorists’ willingness to switch.
The governor explained that drivers would hesitate to convert their vehicles without convenient places to refuel. Station developers, meanwhile, needed enough CNG-powered vehicles to sustain demand for their services.
Otti said Abia had introduced 40 electric buses through its Green Shuttle programme and intended to increase the fleet to 100.
He also reported that the state had allocated land at Obuaku City for vehicle manufacturing and assembly facilities. The proposed facilities would have capacity to produce up to 40,000 vehicles annually, including electric and CNG-powered models.
The governor further said Abia had endorsed a proposed $13.1 million CNG project at the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park. He described the planned development as an integrated gas hub for the South-East.
The summit’s convener and National Chairman of the National Compressed Natural Gas Forum (NCNG-F), Faruk Abdullahi, urged policymakers and investors to assess the programme through its effect on livelihoods.
He said Nigeria’s gas resources had yet to deliver affordable energy and the industrial opportunities the country required. His address called for investment that would support businesses, create employment and reduce the cost of moving people and goods.
“The success of CNG transition should not be measured only by the number of vehicles converted or refueling stations established, but by its impact on transportation costs, employment, business growth and household welfare.
“Behind every energy policy is a human story. When we discuss CNG, we are discussing the commercial driver whose daily earnings are consumed by the cost of fuel.
“We are talking about the trader whose transportation expenses influence the price of goods; the farmer whose produce must travel long distances to reach the market,” he said.
Abdullahi commended Tinubu for establishing the presidential initiative and called for the development of an industry capable of sustaining itself through private investment.
He identified expensive vehicle conversions, limited access to credit, inadequate infrastructure and uncertain gas availability among the obstacles requiring attention. He also sought clearer regulation, consistent technical standards and better public understanding of CNG.
As TheCable reported, the forum chairman urged financial institutions and development finance partners to make funding available for conversions, infrastructure and local businesses.
Abdullahi also called for certified equipment, accredited conversion centres and trained technicians, saying these measures were necessary to support safe operations and strengthen public confidence.