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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed all Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to patronize the technologies and products developed by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). This directive aims to support locally made goods and reduce reliance on imports.
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Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the commissioning of the NASENI-Portland Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion, Filling, Reverse Engineering, and Training Centre in Utako, Abuja, on May 31, 2024, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGi). He highlighted NASENI’s role in harnessing Nigeria’s abundant gas resources to achieve cleaner energy solutions.
“The use of CNG-powered transportation will reduce pressure on foreign exchange and save money for vehicle owners by converting fuel-emitting vehicles to CNG,” President Tinubu stated. He also commended NASENI’s collaboration with private sector partners in establishing a lithium ore processing plant to produce lithium batteries for electric vehicles.
In his welcome address, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, described the NASENI-Portland CNG Conversion and Training Centre as a state-of-the-art facility capable of converting 15 cars every two hours, equating to 2,700 conversions monthly. Halilu proposed the establishment of similar facilities across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to convert all vehicles in the country to CNG within a year.
Halilu requested the President’s approval to convert all State House fleet vehicles to CNG, showcasing NASENI’s capabilities. He also offered to perform CNG conversions for all Federal Government MDAs at a cost.
Moreover, Halilu expressed NASENI’s readiness to provide CNG generators for the lighting project on Bill Clinton Drive, leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, to encourage the adoption of the agency’s streetlights.
The event featured goodwill messages from several ministers, including Petroleum (Gas) Minister Epkerikpo Ekpo, Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris Malagi, Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Uche Nnaji, Senate Committee on NASENI Chairman Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi, and House Committee on NASENI Chairman Hon. Taofik Ajilesoro.
The NASENI-Portland CNG Conversion and Training Centre is equipped with the latest technology and staffed by trained professionals to ensure efficient and safe conversions. It offers comprehensive training programs for technicians, engineers, and other stakeholders, fostering local expertise in CNG systems and promoting green energy solutions nationwide.
This initiative is expected to significantly reduce vehicular emissions, contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment. Additionally, the adoption of CNG will offer economic benefits by reducing fuel costs for consumers and creating new job opportunities and technical expertise in Nigeria’s green energy sector.
