August 13, 2024. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated 30 hybrid compressed natural gas (CNG) powered buses as part of the government’s Presidential CNG Initiative.
Inaugurating the hybrid CNG buses in Abuja, Tinubu said that utilizing natural gas to power the nation’s transportation industry would reduce transportation costs, enhance productivity and save the nation trillions of naira spent on the importation of petrol and diesel.
“If we can enhance our energy competitiveness and bring about transformative changes like this, we will be able to achieve the prosperity we are working hard to accomplish for our people. These CNG buses are encouraging and promising to enhance our transportation system,” he said.
Tinubu noted that commercial vehicles account for over 80 per cent of the nation’s petroleum demand, citing examples of several countries that have switched to CNG for their transportation systems and are already reaping the benefits.
“Countries like India have mandated CNG for all commercial vehicles since 2004. In Nigeria, commercial vehicles make up about 80 per cent of our petroleum demand, costing us trillions of naira every month.”
“The solution is here. We have it. We will work on it. We promise you things will get better. Prosperity will be achieved,” he said.
Tinubu commended Innoson Motors, the Nigerian vehicle manufacturers, for their commitment to his administration’s CNG initiative.
The Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited donated the locally manufactured CNG buses to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
