AGS NEWS – The Federal Government announced on Thursday that converting petrol and diesel-powered commercial vehicles to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) will be free of charge.

This announcement followed the signing of agreements with various companies in Abuja to facilitate these conversions.

Commercial transporters, including members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), will benefit from this initiative.

Michael Oluwagbemi, Programme Director/Chief Executive of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, confirmed this to journalists.

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Oluwagbemi explained that the conversion kits and installation would be provided free of charge to unionized commercial operators.

He mentioned that they have already identified 123 certified conversion workshops, with five in Abuja, and will be expanding nationwide.

Ride-share operators, such as those with Uber, Bolt, Lag-Ride, and Move, can also benefit from a 50% discount on the equipment, with free installation.

The government will cover the installation costs, and operators can pay for the equipment gradually.

Through this program, over 20,000 conversion kits will be made available in the next three months across 25 states with CNG capacity.

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The initiative aims to reduce transportation costs for Nigerians, ensuring the savings from the conversions are passed on to the public.

To monitor the conversion centers and enforce reduced pricing, the government will use the Nigerian gas vehicle monitoring system, ensuring proper conversions and reporting.

This will help maintain the program’s goal of providing cost-effective transportation for ordinary Nigerians.