By Abdullahi Jalaludeen
Kano State has increased its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations to 12 within one year, following the commissioning of two new stations and a vehicle conversion centre by an investor.
The Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), Mr. Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed this at the commissioning ceremony in Kano.
Ahmed described the development as evidence of the impact of private-sector investment in expanding access to cleaner and more affordable transportation energy in Nigeria.
He said the country’s abundant natural gas resources offered significant opportunities to reduce transportation costs, attract investment and create employment.
“The future belongs to cheaper energy sources for transportation. It is difficult to achieve that with PMS and diesel,” he said.
Ahmed noted that Nigeria had more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, stressing the need to maximise domestic utilisation of the resource.
“Nigeria is a gas country, not an oil country. We have over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas,” he said.
The chairman recalled that the investor approached the initiative about four months ago to explore investment opportunities in the CNG sector.
He said the initiative subsequently connected the investor with its operations and gas teams to provide the necessary technical guidance and support.
“Four months later, this is the story. He is commissioning a CNG station in Kano,” Ahmed said.
He disclosed that had established two facilities in the state with plans to expand to other locations.
Ahmed commended the investor for the speed of implementation, describing the investment as an example of the private-sector commitment needed to accelerate CNG adoption across the country.
“You are a doer, you are a deliverer, and you have delivered in Kano,” he said.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by government officials, traditional leaders and private-sector representatives, including the Kano State Commissioner for Transportation, who represented the governor, the Hakimi of the host local government area and a representative of the Dangote Group.
The newly commissioned facilities combine CNG refuelling services with vehicle conversion, enabling motorists to access both services at the same location.
Motorists were also offered free CNG refuelling on the day of the commissioning as part of activities to mark the launch.
The expansion of CNG infrastructure in Kano aligns with the objectives of the Northern Corridor activation, which seeks to increase refuelling facilities, vehicle conversions and investment in clean mobility across northern Nigeria.
The initiative is expected to improve access to CNG and address concerns over the availability of refuelling stations, particularly among commercial transport operators and other motorists transitioning to gas-powered vehicles.
The development marks a significant expansion of Kano’s clean transportation infrastructure, with the state recording 12 CNG refuelling stations within a year.
Editing By Godwin Duru
