In a significant move towards reducing the nation’s reliance on petrol and diesel, the Federal Government has distributed 20 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered buses in Lagos as part of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi).
The distribution event took place on Tuesday, with the buses handed over to the Iru Land Transport Company Limited. The Oniru of Iru, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbbolahan, received the buses on behalf of the company.
Oluwagbemi Michael, the Director of PCNGi, emphasized the government’s commitment to expanding the use of CNG-powered transportation across Nigeria.
“President Bola Tinubu’s administration is determined to ensure that there are enough CNG buses in the country to reduce our reliance on petrol and diesel,” Michael stated during the event.
Michael also highlighted the government’s efforts to ensure the availability of CNG filling stations nationwide, a critical infrastructure to support the growing fleet of CNG vehicles. He mentioned that the buses distributed in Lagos were produced locally and that more will be procured in the coming months to meet the needs of the people.
“The buses we are providing today were purchased by the Federal Ministry of Finance under the palliative programme. These buses are locally assembled and manufactured in Nigeria. We understand that people have been asking, ‘Where are the buses?’ Well, those buses were under manufacturing. Now that some are ready, we are rolling them out, starting with Ibadan yesterday, and now in Lagos. We will soon be distributing them in the Federal Capital Territory and Ilorin as well,” Michael explained.
He further clarified that the beneficiaries of the buses would pay for them over time, with the funds collected being reinvested to acquire more buses.
“The money used to purchase these buses will be recovered steadily from the fares passengers pay. This way, we can ensure more buses are available for the Nigerian people,” he added.
The first phase of this initiative will see the deployment of 531 CNG buses to various cities across the country. These buses are part of a partnership between the Federal Government and commercial transport operators, aimed at making affordable and sustainable transportation accessible to more Nigerians.
In response to the distribution, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbbolahan expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the Federal Government for including his kingdom in this initiative.
“This initiative will undoubtedly boost the economy of Iruland, especially in terms of job creation,” the Oniru remarked, assuring the government of the community’s support for the program.