By Patrick Idowu
Abuja residents who switched to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) are celebrating significant savings, cutting fuel expenses by over N144,000 monthly compared to traditional gasoline.
Users credit the savings to the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in August 2023, which aims to convert 55,000 petrol-powered vehicles and introduce 11,500 new CNG-compatible vehicles.
As of November 2024, over 100,000 vehicles have been converted, backed by a $200 million infrastructure investment.
Public worker Chinoso Akatobi-Michael shared that her fuel costs dropped from N40,000 to just N4,000 weekly since switching to CNG.
“CNG is more economical for me than gasoline,” she said, though she highlighted the challenge of limited CNG refueling stations in Abuja.
Corporate driver Kunle Adebayo echoed the sentiment, saving up to N45,000 weekly after converting his vehicle.
However, he noted a slight decline in engine performance compared to petrol use.
The cost of CNG conversion ranges from N300,000 to N600,000 with government support but can exceed N1 million without assistance.
Despite challenges, residents agree that the switch to CNG offers significant financial relief.
