KEY POINTS
- Tinubu expanded PiCNG to include electric vehicles, renaming it PiCNG & EV to lead Nigeria’s clean mobility strategy.
- Government plans rollout of EV charging stations, CNG infrastructure, and nationwide vehicle conversion programmes.
- Financing partnerships and mobile refuelling units will be deployed to make clean transport accessible and affordable.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, PiCNG, to include electric vehicles as part of efforts to promote affordable and environmentally responsible transportation across Nigeria.
With the new directive, the programme will now operate under the name Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, PiCNG & EV, according to a statement issued in Abuja by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
The expanded initiative is expected to lead and coordinate Nigeria’s clean mobility strategy, covering both compressed natural gas-powered vehicles and electric vehicles nationwide.
It will continue to drive the deployment of CNG infrastructure, including Mother and Daughter Stations, Integrated Refuelling Units, and vehicle conversion programmes across the country.
In addition, the initiative will oversee the rollout of electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and related investments aimed at supporting Nigeria’s transition to cleaner transport systems.
Onanuga noted that gas remains a competitive and strategic fuel for transportation, particularly given Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources.
He said the expanded initiative would help reduce transportation costs, strengthen energy security, conserve foreign exchange, and support a more sustainable mobility ecosystem.
Tinubu also directed the Executive Chairman of PiCNG & EV, Ismaeel Ahmed, to immediately establish a coordinated process for the rapid nationwide deployment of vehicle conversion kits. The president emphasized that the kits must be accessible to Nigerians at affordable and non-burdensome costs.
To achieve this, the initiative will collaborate with CreditCorp Nigeria, financial institutions, and other partners to develop cost-effective financing models. The aim is to ensure that vehicle conversion options are widely available to the public.
The president further ordered the accelerated deployment of Mobile Refuelling Units to expand access to CNG infrastructure while permanent facilities are being developed.
The initiative is expected to play a central role in Nigeria’s transition to cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable transportation systems.
