NNPC, NIPCO open 12 CNG stations in Lagos, Abuja… Journey now irreversible, Kyari

NNPC Limited, in collaboration with NIPCO Plc, has opened 12 new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations in Abuja and Lagos as the Federal Government’s push for CNG adoption as alternative fuel to petrol gathered momentum.

Speaking at the commissioning of the stations, which took place simultaneously across the two cities, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, said that with Nigeria’s abundant gas resources, CNG would become the fuel for motorists in the country.

Ekpo said the various ongoing infrastructure projects in the gas sector would ensure adequate supply across the country, bringing cheap fuel to Nigerians.

On his part, the Group CEO,NNPC Limited, Mallam Mele Kyari, said that with the opening of the new stations, Nigeria’s journey into CNG utilisation has become irreversible.

According to him, “We are providing cheaper and cleaner fuel, and we are also utilising the free resources that God has made available to our country, which we have not utilised for a long time. And this will not happen until we have a focus”.

While assuring that the stations would be set up across the country, he said: “We are going to roll out stations all across the federation, it is already a work in progress, to construct six CNG model stations across the country, between now and December.

“We are also taking another step to build LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) stations in Ajaokuta, one belongs to us and one is a partnership. What this does is bring gas closer to consumers across the country.

“Considering the distance involved in transporting gas and that is why we are doing this so that it becomes accessible and easier. And this is shorter because as soon as we finish the AKK pipeline, it becomes closer to end users, and as we reduce the distance, the price will become cheaper, particularly in the northern part of the country,” he added.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director, NNPC Retail Limited, Mr. Huub Stokman, revealed that in the next year, NNPC Retail would have launched over 100 CNG sites, including 16 NNPC Gas Marketing and NIPCO Gas JV sites.

“CNG provides Nigeria with affordable alternatives to existing available fuel products. It will be about 40% cheaper than petrol in Nigeria, and with continued investments, it will become a significant part of our energy mix,” Stokman added.