The prospect of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered vehicles on our roads for public transportation brightened yesterday with the receipt of 90 high-capacity buses by the Federal Government.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who declared that using CNG buses is the way to go in boosting the nation’s economy and alleviating transportation costs, personally received 30 buses at the Presidential Villa.
His representatives took delivery of 60 buses ordered by the government in Lagos.
Twenty of the buses received in Abuja, produced by indigenous auto manufacturing firm – Innoson Motors – were donated by the Deport and Petroleum Product Marketers Association (DAPPMAN).
The remaining 10 were provided by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL) Limited Foundation.
The President symbolically inaugurated the vehicles at the forecourt of his office where five were parked.
President Tinubu said: “Countries like India have mandated CNG for all commercial vehicles since 2004.
“In Nigeria, commercial vehicles make up about 80 per cent of our petrol demand, costing us trillions of naira each month.
“The solution is here. We have it and we will work on it. We promise you things will definitely get better, and prosperity will be achieved.
“It is a great inspiration for me to receive these buses on behalf of the government, making it a significant innovation to the transportation system.
“Utilising natural gas to power Nigeria’s transportation industry is the next way to go.”
The President added: “For many countries, especially Nigeria with our gas, we will work harder with productive and innovative ideas .
“It is an economic necessity that we should embrace. I noted the recent yearning of many ordinary Nigerians on transportation.
“We can enhance our energy competitiveness and bring about transformative changes.
“Like this, we would be able to achieve the prosperity we are working hard to accomplish for our people.
“That these buses along with the CNG are convertible is very encouraging and promising to enhance our transportation system.
“I thank Innosson Motors and others who have been committed to changing the narratives in Nigeria.”
Chairman of DAPPMAN, Winifred Akpani, said the buses were designed, manufactured and delivered by Innoson Motors, a Nigerian company based in Nnewi, Anambra State.
She said each of the buses is capable of transporting 100 people and can use diesel as an alternative fuel.
Akpani assured the government of continued full support, saying DAPPMAN will continue to go the extra mile to ease the problems of not just the downtrodden but all Nigerians.
“These are hybrid buses that will run on CNG. Each of these buses is capable of transporting 100 people and they also have alternative use of diesel.
“We believe that these buses will be put to use especially since we know that more donations are coming and we thank the President for this opportunity.
“As part of our delivery, we’ve provided for each of the buses to have two drivers and we are going to have them trained.”
On the pledge of 100 buses made last year, Akpani said: “Certainly, this is part of what we promised last year. We did say at least 50 buses, today we brought 30.
“They are not here right now but it is the beginning. Independent marketers are quite large.
“We are hoping that this will spur others to do more so that in every state, there will be CNG buses to reduce cost.”
Managing Director of NNPCL Foundation, Emmanuella Arukwe, said the buses were the company’s contribution to promoting clean energy and affordable transportation.
She expressed excitement about the foundation’s involvement in the project, stating that it aligns with its focus areas of energy and the environment.
“We committed 10 CNG buses to DAPPMAN, which is what we have delivered. We are excited to be part of this initiative.
“Although it is an NNPCL initiative, but for us in the foundation, we are committed to our area of focus which is energy and the environment,” she said.
Arukwe highlighted the significance of the CNG buses to the economy, noting that fueling the buses is more cost-effective compared to conventional fuels.
She emphasised that the use of CNG buses will greatly reduce transportation fares, ultimately benefiting the public and boosting the economy.
“It’s very significant because filling those 10 buses will cost little money. We know that CNG apart from being clean is much cheaper than fuel. So, for the public, this is the way to go.”
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the presentation signifies a major shift as promised by the Tinubu Administration to transition from fossil fuel to renewables, in this case CNG initiative.
The buses received in Lagos are hybrid – they use both CNG and petrol.
The vehicles were handed over to a team of officials from the Ministry of Finance and representatives of the Presidential Initiative for Compressed Natural Gas (P-CNGi) during a brief ceremony at the company’s plant in the Ajah area of Lagos State.
Technical Assistant to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Dimas Hamidu, acknowledged the good quality of the Jet Mover vehicles and commended the company for its good work.
He said the hybrid vehicles were a testimony to the commitment of the Tinubu Administration to alleviate the hardships that may have been brought on with the removal of the petrol subsidy.
According to him, the vehicles will go a long way in helping to solve the transportation needs of the citizens, and help to cushion the impact of rising costs in the economy.
“I’m happy with what I’ve seen here. This will go a long way in alleviating the pains and sufferings of the people with the removal of fuel subsidy.
“I was here earlier with the Minister of Finance, and we were taken round the plant.
“The minister even drove one of the vehicles, and he was very impressed,” he said.
He said the Federal Government had contracted different companies to deliver CNG vehicles.
“Nigerians were becoming agitated and asking why they were not seeing these vehicles on the road.
“This is why the Ministry of Finance decided to have a tour of the factories to see how soon they can deliver.
“We are impressed with Jet Motor for sticking to the terms of the contract, and the vehicles are in accordance with the specification.
“And we hope that very soon they will invite us again to take delivery of more of these vehicles that the president can use to alleviate the transportation challenges of the country,” he added.
Managing Director of Jet Motor Company, Derek Ewelukwa, thanked the team for the opportunity to contribute to the delivery of an efficient and comfortable transport model to the citizens.
He explained that each of the hybrid vehicles had two CNG tanks with a combined capacity of 220 litres of gas and capable of 300 kilometres, and a petrol tank with a capacity of 80 litres.
According to him, the CNG tanks have a lifespan of 15 years, and the engine switches from gas to petrol and back seamlessly.
Other members of the team from the Finance ministry include Balarabe Tukui, representing the Director of Finance and Accounts; Okeke Osita Gabriel, also a Technical Assistant to the Minister of Finance and Oluwole Akinwunmi, bwho represented the Pi-CNG.
