The government has announced a plan to subsidize the cost of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicle conversion kits by 50 per cent for members of road transport unions nationwide.
The goal is to convert one million vehicles from petrol to CNG by 2027.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential initiative on CNG, Micheal Oluwagbemi, revealed this initiative during the Northern Stakeholders Engagement in Kaduna.
The government has already obtained over 20,000 conversion kits for immediate deployment in the conversion incentive programme.
Also, eight conversion centres in Kwara, Lagos, Abuja, and Rivers have been identified for the pilot programme.
Oluwagbemi said: "The focus will initially be on members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers of Nigeria, Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria, and National Association of Road Transport Owners, as they account for 90% of public transportation in the country.
"We are offering the conversion kits to them at a 50% discount and ensuring that the installation cost is free. We are currently in discussions with our partners to kickstart the project next week.
"We have already identified eight conversion centres in the FCT, Kwara, Lagos and Rivers states to pilot the programme, with plans to expand it to the 120 identified conversion centres across the country.
"This subsidized conversion programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu's vision of converting one million vehicles to use CNG by 2027."
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, praised the Federal Government's initiative in his keynote address.
He emphasized the importance of transportation as a key driver of the nation's economy, facilitating the movement of people, goods, and freight.