- The Federal Government has assured motorists of safe Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) usage as an alternate fuel for vehicles.
- The number of CNG conversion centres has reached 171 across the country.
- The government aims to increase the number of conversion centres to 200 by the end of the year and 500 by next year.
The Federal Government has given its assurance that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is safe for use as an alternate fuel for vehicles. This assurance comes as the number of CNG conversion centres across the country hits 171.
Speaking at the commissioning of Portland Gas Conversion centre in Kado, Abuja, the Director/CEO of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (P-CNGI), Engr Michael Oluwagbemi, stated that the target is to reach 200 CNG conversion centres by the end of the year. He also expressed hope that the number of conversion centres will increase to 500 by next year.
Oluwagbemi alleviated fears about the safety of mounting CNG cylinders on vehicles, saying that when converted by accredited government facilities, CNG usage is significantly safer than petrol-driven vehicles. He noted that the push for CNG usage has made significant progress over the past year, with the number of conversion centres increasing from just seven last year.
The new centre in Kado has the capacity to convert 12 vehicles daily, and Oluwagbemi urged Portland Gas Limited to increase its working hours to 24 hours from the current 12 hours.
Additionally, the Chief Executive Officer of Portland Gas Limited, Engr. Folajimi Mohammed, stated that each CNG cylinder has a lifespan of 20 years before needing replacement. The hybrid conversion kits also allow vehicles to switch between gas and petrol as desired by the owner.
