President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate deployment of 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits across Nigeria in response to rising fuel prices triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG), Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed the directive after meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja. He explained that Tinubu is closely monitoring global developments and their impact on Nigeria’s energy costs, particularly the effect of the Iran–U.S./Israel war on petrol prices.
According to Ahmed, the rollout will begin within two to three weeks, enabling vehicle owners and tricycle operators to convert their engines from petrol to CNG. He added that the government is accelerating the development of refuelling infrastructure, with 77 CNG stations currently at different stages of completion nationwide. Kano already hosts two operational Liquefied Compressed Natural Gas (LCNG) stations, while several “daughter stations” are under construction.
The initiative also includes plans to establish refuelling points along major transport corridors from Lokoja through Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, and up to Maiduguri. Ahmed noted that Pi-CNG is working with local and international manufacturers to support vehicle conversion and encourage the local assembly of CNG-powered and electric vehicles, a move expected to boost job creation and strengthen Nigeria’s automotive industry.
This directive comes as petrol prices in Nigeria surged past ₦1,000 per litre, with the Dangote Refinery recently adjusting its pump price from ₦995 to ₦1,175 per litre before reducing it to ₦1,075.
