The Federal Government has announced plans to elish 2,322 Compressed Natural Gas stations across Nigeria by 2027 as part of efforts to accelerate the adoption of alternative fuels and expand the country’s gas mobility infrastructure.
The Executive Chairman and Chief Executive of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed this at the Nigerian Oil and Gas Midstream and Downstream Summit organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board in Lagos.
Represented by an official of the agency, Olayinka Rufai, Ahmed said significant progress had already been made in expanding CNG infrastructure and vehicle conversion nationwide within a short period.
According to him, CNG availability has expanded from just one state at the start of the initiative to 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states within less than three years, describing the growth as one of the fastest globally under similar conditions.
He also revealed that more than 100,000 vehicles have already been converted to run on CNG, with the majority being commercial vehicles targeted under the government’s transport cost reduction strategy following fuel subsidy removal.
Ahmed noted that the initiative has attracted over one billion dollars in investment into the emerging CNG mobility sector, further boosting infrastructure development and private sector participation.
He disclosed that Nigeria currently has 72 active CNG refuelling stations, with 175 more under development, alongside 28 operational compression stations and 65 additional facilities being built to support gas distribution.
The initiative has also led to the elishment of over 350 conversion centres across the country, which Ahmed described as small Nigerian businesses contributing to job creation and economic growth.
On manpower development, he said more than 5,600 technicians have been trained and certified to handle CNG conversion and maintenance, ensuring sustainability and safety in the sector.
Ahmed added that 4,318 CNG powered tricycles have already been deployed, with 95 percent locally assembled, highlighting growing local participation in the value chain. He also noted that Nigeria is expanding into electric vehicle pilot projects alongside CNG deployment.
He emphasised that CNG remains significantly cheaper than petrol, making it a key alternative for reducing transport costs for Nigerians.
Looking ahead, the government’s 2027 targets include 2,322 CNG stations nationwide, 3,000 conversion workshops, one million vehicle conversions, 75,000 direct jobs, and 300,000 indirect jobs.
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