President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated 30 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)- powered buses at the State House in Abuja. The aim is to ease the burden of transportation on citizens due to the removal of fuel subsidies.
The Chairman of Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Winifred Akpani, said during the ceremony of unveiling the buses that it is a “game changer” for the transport sector.
As part of the minimum wage negotiations, Tinubu had assured the workers’ union that his government would support CNG-powered buses to help ease the transportation challenges faced by Nigerians, especially in the Federal Capital Territory.
In the first procurement phase, 30 buses were acquired from Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing (IVM), a wholly indigenous vehicle manufacturing firm based in Nnewi, Anambra State.
Five of the 30 CNG buses were driven to the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, where the President officially inaugurated them for public use. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Foundation donated ten of them.
President Tinubu disclosed that commercial vehicles in Nigeria consume about 80 percent of the nation’s petrol at the symbolic ceremony held at the forecourt of the State House, Abuja.
The President said, “I am very honored to be here. It is a great honor for me to receive these buses on behalf of the government and to make a significant innovation to the transportation system.
“Utilizing natural gas to power our transportation industry is the next step. For many countries, especially Nigeria, with our gas, if we work harder to be productive and innovative, it is an economic necessity that we should embrace.
“I noted the recent yearnings of many ordinary Nigerians on transportation. I thank INNOSON Motors and others. We have been committed to changing this narrative in this country.“
DAPPMAN Chairman Akpani revealed that the buses are hybrid vehicles that could use CNG and diesel.
“These are hybrid buses that will run on CNG. Each of these buses can transport 100 people, and they also have alternative use of diesel. If for any reason there’s … well, we hope not there will be a shortage of CNG, but they are hybrid buses, and we are delighted today that we can present this.”
He said the buses would reduce transportation costs, which could impact food prices and help tamper inflation.
Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, said his foundation was excited to be part of the initiative and emphasized the importance of access to energy, particularly dual fuel, which is environmentally friendly.
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