Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi), emphasized the importance of Nigeria utilizing its natural gas resources to promote economic growth in a recent interview on TVC News Breakfast Show on Wednesday.
Speaking during the programme, Oluwagbemi voiced confidence in Nigeria’s future with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), highlighting its ability to move the country ahead.
Oluwagbemi disclosed that PCNGi is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Finance to increase the availability of conversion kits. Additionally, efforts are underway to forge partnerships with the private sector to facilitate local production of these kits, ensuring affordability for Nigerians. He emphasized, “Our goal is to localize production to make these kits more accessible.”
Acknowledging the immediate needs, Oluwagbemi revealed plans to import approximately 20,000 conversion kits into the country within the next few weeks.
Furthermore, he assured that the CNG Tri-cycle, a mode of transportation powered by compressed natural gas, will be introduced in the coming months, benefiting individuals at the
grassroots level.
Addressing concerns regarding the safety of CNG, the program director reassured Nigerians of the robust infrastructure in place for the compression of gas. “We have the necessary infrastructure and safety protocols to ensure the secure use of compressed gas,” Oluwagbemi affirmed.
Concluding on a note of confidence in Nigeria’s potential to leverage natural gas for socio-economic advancement.
It should be noted that President Tinubu sanctioned the use of CNG vehicles by Ministries, MDAs, and Parastatals on Tuesday in order to cut governance costs and reliance on PMS.
