Nigeria's CNG Drive: Path to Affordable Transportation?

Nigeria's removal of petrol subsidies caused transportation costs to soar, impacting businesses like Ahmed Halilu's e-hailing service. To mitigate this, the government introduced a compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative, aiming to convert vehicles. However, poor implementation, limited infrastructure, and misinformation have slowed progress.

Nigeria is grappling with soaring transportation costs after the removal of petrol subsidies, which deeply impacted businesses, including Ahmed Halilu's e-hailing service. Faced with massive losses, Halilu witnessed a significant drop in passengers following the subsidy cut.

To address this crisis, the Nigerian government launched a compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative, aiming to lower transportation costs and convert one million vehicles within three years. Despite investing $200 million and adapting over 100,000 vehicles to CNG, the initiative's progress has been slowed by poor implementation and limited infrastructure.

The government's CNG push faces challenges, including low public awareness and fears about vehicle conversion safety. Moreover, inadequate gas pipelines and scarce filling stations further hinder the transition. Authorities remain committed to dispelling misconceptions and enhancing infrastructure to promote CNG as a cleaner, cheaper alternative to petrol.

(With inputs from agencies.)