CNG: Governors’ plan validates Tinubu’s cheaper transport push – TDF
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CNG: Governors’ plan validates Tinubu’s cheaper transport push – TDF
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Democratic Front, TDF has welcomed the decision by the 36 state governors to invest in Compressed Natural Gas, CNG infrastructure, describing it as a major boost to President Bola Tinubu’s drive to provide Nigerians with cheaper transportation.
The group said the governors’ decision demonstrated growing acceptance of CNG as an alternative energy source capable of reducing transportation costs and easing the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Wale Adedayo, the TDF said the development was evidence that state governments were prepared to collaborate with the Federal Government in tackling the rising cost of transportation.
The group recalled that Tinubu launched the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative in August 2023, shortly after the removal of petrol subsidy.
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According to the TDF, the initiative was introduced as part of measures to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal by providing Nigerians with access to cheaper energy for transportation.
It said the President had remained committed to developing CNG infrastructure despite the challenges involved in establishing a nationwide network.
The group claimed that the initiative had so far resulted in the construction of 90 certified CNG filling stations, more than 450 conversion centres across 23 states and the conversion of over 120,000 vehicles.
It added that another 100,000 conversion kits were currently being deployed across the country.
The TDF said commercial transport operators in cities including Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Enugu had increasingly adopted CNG as an alternative to petrol.
It also noted that some interstate heavy-duty transport operators who previously relied on diesel had begun switching to CNG because of its lower energy costs.
“This is a remarkable indication that the President’s commitment to providing Nigerians with a cheaper alternative source of energy to cushion the biting effect of petroleum subsidy removal on the masses has unwittingly triggered a positive transformation in the transportation sector, to the benefit of the economy,” the group said.
The TDF acknowledged that CNG penetration remained relatively slow but said the governors’ decision to invest in the infrastructure could accelerate the transition from petrol to CNG.
It said the planned collaboration between the Federal and state governments could significantly expand CNG infrastructure across the country.
The group argued that the development further supported Tinubu’s position that the solution to high transportation costs was not a return to what it described as an opaque petroleum subsidy regime.
Instead, it advocated greater investment in alternative energy sources, including CNG and electric vehicles.
The TDF also welcomed the establishment of an implementation committee to coordinate Federal and state government measures aimed at reducing transportation costs from October 1.
According to the group, the initiative could reduce the burden of inter- and intra-state transportation on Nigerians while also lowering the cost of transporting agricultural produce from farms to markets.
The group blamed previous administrations for failing to develop the necessary CNG infrastructure, which it said contributed to the slow adoption of the alternative fuel.
It urged Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s CNG initiative, arguing that wider adoption would guarantee easier access to cheaper and more sustainable energy for transportation.
