BY FESTUS OKOROMADU, ABUJA
The management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited said it has entered a partnership with NIPCO Gas Limited to deploy Compressed Natural Gas as a cheaper alternative fuel across the country.
NNPCL spokesperson, Garba Deen Muhammad, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday describing the move as a landmark collaboration.
He stated that the initiative aims to expand CNG infrastructure, improve access to CNG, and accelerate the adoption of cheaper and cleaner alternative fuel for all types of automobile.
He added that it would significantly reduce the cost of transportation and engender sustainable national economic growth.
“Under the NNPC-NIPCO strategic partnership, 35 state-of-the-art CNG stations will be constructed nationwide, including three mother stations.
“Once fully operational, the stations can service over 200,000 vehicles daily, thereby significantly reducing the cost of automobile fuel for Nigerians and the cost of transportation.
“The project will be rolled out in phases. The first phase, comprising 21 CNG stations, will support intra-city transportation and be ready by the first quarter of 2024; while the second phase, comprising 35 CNG stations, will support inter-city transformation and will be ready by late 2024. This will be further complemented by an additional 56 stations to be deployed by NNPC Retail across the country.
“NIPCO Gas Limited is currently operating 14 CNG stations across Nigeria and has converted over 7,000 vehicles to run on CNG. NIPCO’s technical competency and field experience will bolster this initiative’s success and amplify its positive impact on the Nation’s economy.
“This initiative will leverage Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources to bring multiple benefits to Nigerians, including access to cheaper fuel, reduced cost of transportation, reduced carbon emissions, create new business value chains and streams of job opportunities.
“NNPC Limited expects further private sector participation by oil marketing companies to broaden CNG penetration and availability.
“NNPC Limited remains committed to reliably delivering energy while continuously creating value for Nigeria’s prosperous future alongside our partners,” the statement said.