Abuja: Dr Kazeem Abubakar, a material engineering expert and research strategist, asserts that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) offers significant environmental benefits over traditional fuels like petrol and diesel, as it burns cleaner and results in reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Abubakar, who serves as the Assistant Director of Research at the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), shared these insights during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr Abubakar emphasized that CNG presents considerable cost savings for both transport operators and daily commuters, a crucial advantage in the wake of the 2023 petrol subsidy removal and the subsequent increase in fuel prices. He highlighted the strategic shift towards CNG as an alternative energy source for automobiles, aimed at reducing dependency on imported petrol and lowering transportation expenses.
Abubakar noted that following President Bola Tinubu’s announcement of the fuel subsidy removal in 2023, Nigerians have faced escalating fuel costs amid environmental concerns. Since then, CNG has emerged as an essential element in the nation’s clean-energy transition. Data from the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) indicate a growing trend in this direction.
The expert stated that this development marks a significant step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Citing statistics from the PCNGI, Abubakar revealed that over 100,000 vehicles have been converted from petrol to CNG since 2023, signaling a notable shift towards cleaner fuel. However, he pointed out that this figure represents less than one per cent of Nigeria’s 12 million registered vehicles.
He further explained that during the same period, Nigeria’s CNG conversion and refuelling infrastructure experienced rapid growth. The number of certified conversion centres increased from just seven in 2023 to over 158 by the end of 2024, with plans to establish 1,000 centres nationwide.