President Bola Tinubu has mandated all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to procure vehicles powered by compressed natural gas (CNG).
Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president on media publicity, said Tinubu gave the directive while addressing members of the federal executive council (FEC) at the State House on Monday.
Ngelale said the directive was in line with Tinubu’s commitment to ensure energy security, drive utility, and cut high fuel costs.
Tinubu affirmed that there is no turning back in the energy reforms initiated by his administration.
“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,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu said all memos brought by FEC members seeking the purchase of traditional petrol-dependent vehicles should be rejected.
He said members of the council should go back and seek value-driven procurements of CNG-compliant vehicles.
On April 21, the presidency said it would launch the CNG initiative ahead of the first anniversary of Tinubu’s administration on May 29.
The presidency said the presidential CNG initiative (PCNGI), in collaboration with the private sector, will deliver 100 conversion workshops and 60 refuelling sites across 18 states before year-end.
Also, on July 31, 2023, Tinubu said his administration made provision to invest N100 billion between then and March 2024 to acquire 3,000 units of 20-seater buses powered by CNG.
Two months later, the federal government announced value-added tax (VAT) would be waived on CNG bus purchases, with plans to waive duty on parts.
