14th May 2024
The Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu on Monday mandated all government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, to, going forward, procure only vehicles and generators powered by Compressed Natural Gas.
The Federal Government also expects it’s MDAs to begin converting all petrol or diesel-powered vehicles or generators to CNG.
The new directive is “in line with his commitment to ensure energy security, drive utility, and cut high fuel costs,” a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, read on Monday.
The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu directs mandatory procurement of CNG-Powered vehicles.’
Monday’s directive was one of the major decisions reached by the council before it adjourned its four-hour proceedings till Tuesday, May 14.
According to Ngelale, it is also “in furtherance of Nigeria’s effort to transition to cleaner energy as CNG-enabled vehicles have been adjudged to produce lower emissions, even as they present a more affordable alternative for Nigerian energy consumers.”
The PUNCH further gathered that the new order affects new requests by Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, an agency of the Marine and Blue Economy which had sought approval to buy several hundreds of petrol-powered operational vehicles.
Also, a request by the Federal Capital Territory Administration to procure petrol-powered generators was also approved but on the condition that the contracts be reviewed to CNG or solar-powered generators.
Ngelale revealed that Tinubu asked Council members seeking the purchase of traditional petrol-dependent vehicles to “go back and diligently seek value-driven procurements of CNG-compliant vehicles.”
Addressing members of the Federal Executive Council at the State House on Monday, President Tinubu affirmed, “This nation will not progress forward if we continue to dance on the same spot.
“We have the will to drive the implementation of CNG adoption across the country, and we must set the example as public officials in leading the way to that prosperous future that we are working to achieve for our people.
“It starts with us, and in seeing that we are serious, Nigerians will follow our lead.”
He also expressed his committment to effectively harness the nation’s gas potential, alleviating the burden of high transportation costs on the masses while enhancing the standard of living of all Nigerians.
Monday’s decision comes three weeks after the Presidency announced plans to roll out 2,700 CNG-powered buses and tricycles to slash transportation costs before May 29, when President Bola Tinubu turns one year in office.
In October 2023, about five months after the removal of the petrol subsidy, President Tinubu launched the Presidential CNG Initiative to deliver cheaper, safer and more climate-friendly energy.
The CNG Initiative was designed to deliver compressed natural gas, especially for mass transit.
The Federal Government earmarked N100bn (part of the N500bn palliative budget) to purchase 5500 CNG vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 Electric buses and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits, with plans to develop CNG refilling stations and electric charging stations nationwide.
The FG had said the initiative would ease the burden of the increased pump price on the masses.
The administration plans to roll out about 800 CNG buses, 4000 CNG tricycles and 100 electric buses in the first phase in the next few weeks.
The FG said it is signalling its readiness for energy transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy, adding that its policy will unlock new investments in renewable energy, solar panels and lithium batteries.
