The administration of President Bola Tinubu has announced plans to significantly lower transportation costs through the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi). The initiative will also empower 2,000 Nigerian youths by providing them with tricycles, commonly known as Keke Napep.
Michael Oluwagbemi, the Program Director and Chief Executive of PCNGi, shared this information in a statement released on Friday. He noted that the initiative has launched a Transport Fare Drop Program, beginning in Abuja, aimed at promoting Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a cleaner and more economical fuel alternative.
Oluwagbemi revealed that representatives from PCNGi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). This agreement pertains to the Abuja to Itakpe Station—Ajaokuta Train Station—Adavi route, where fleet vehicles will be converted to use CNG, resulting in a fare reduction of 30-40%.
“This program will incentivize NURTW members in Abuja to switch their vehicles to CNG in exchange for lower fares,” Oluwagbemi stated.
On Saturday, September 28, 2024, PCNGi will expand its nationwide commercial incentive initiative to 38 locations across Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, and Edo states. Additionally, an agreement with the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) will be signed on Monday, September 30, to implement the Nigerian Police CNG Conversion Program, which will train cadets to manage newly established conversion centers funded by the NPTF.
Oluwagbemi emphasized, “This initiative will equip police cadets to oversee the strategic conversion centers established by the NPTF.”
In celebration of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary on October 1, 2024, PCNGi will launch the CNG Tricycle Empowerment Program in collaboration with the Ministry of Youths. This program aims to enable over 2,000 young Nigerians to own and operate CNG-powered tricycles.
Moreover, on October 2, the PCNGi will introduce the Kogi State Conversion Incentive Program and will hand over CNG buses to the state’s mass transit agency to facilitate interstate travel to Abuja. Three new CNG conversion sites will also be inaugurated in Kogi.
To wrap up the week’s initiatives, the PCNGi plans to launch operations in Ekiti State, where additional CNG buses will be handed over to the state’s mass transit organization for routes to Abuja, along with the opening of four new conversion sites in the area.
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