Nigeria green lights transportation revolution in switch to clean energy
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu issued a directive that could alter the nation's transportation landscape and reduce its carbon footprint.
The president has mandated all government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to transition to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered vehicles, local media Vanguard Nigeria reports.
The directive comes as part of Nigeria's broader commitment to cleaner energy sources and reducing the country's carbon footprint.
Speaking to the members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the State House in Abuja on Monday, May 13, President Tinubu reiterated his administration's commitment to the energy reforms, affirming that there would be no retreat from this course.
“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,” he stated.
According to reports from Vanguard, the recent directive has influenced the new requests by the Nigeria Customs Service and the Shipper’s Council. While these agencies sought approval to procure hundreds of operational vehicles fueled by petrol, they were instructed that any approved vehicles must instead be powered by CNG.
Last October, the Tinubu administration introduced the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi), according to Vanguard. As part of this initiative, approximately 800 CNG buses, 4,000 CNG tricycles, and 100 electric buses are scheduled for deployment in the first phase within the coming weeks.
