By Patrick Idowu
The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (P-CNGi), has urged Nigerians to use only government-certified CNG conversion centres for safety, cautioning against illegal workshops and locally fabricated cylinders.
Speaking to journalists, P-CNGi Programme Director, Michael Oluwagbemi, highlighted the risks of using uncertified conversion centres, which could result in accidents or vehicle damage.
He advised Nigerians to visit the P-CNGi website (www.pci.gov.ng) for a list of approved centres nationwide.
Oluwagbemi assured Nigerians of the safety of CNG, stating it is lighter than air, dissipates quickly, and poses fewer fire risks than petrol.
“Natural gas is 18 times less explosive than petrol and eight times less explosive than diesel. It is safer, cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable,” he said.
The initiative, launched in 2024 as part of President Tinubu’s palliative measures post-subsidy removal, has expanded from 7 to 193 centres nationwide, with Lagos boasting over 70 and Abuja 30.
The government aims to convert one million vehicles to CNG by 2027, up from the current 50,000.
Oluwagbemi emphasized that safety and regulation standards, approved by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), govern the CNG industry, ensuring public confidence in its adoption.
