President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated all Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to support the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) by prioritizing their technologies and products. This directive aims to boost the consumption of Made-in-Nigeria goods and curb the nation’s dependency on imports.
The announcement was delivered by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during the commissioning of the NASENI-Portland Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion, Filling, Reverse Engineering, and Training Centre in Utako, Abuja, on Friday, May 31, 2024.
President Tinubu, who also serves as Chairman of the NASENI Governing Board, emphasized the significance of NASENI’s collaboration with private sector entities to commercialize its innovations. He highlighted the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGi), which aligns with NASENI’s objectives to leverage Nigeria’s vast gas resources and promote cleaner energy solutions.
“Utilizing CNG-powered transportation will not only alleviate the strain on foreign exchange but also provide cost savings for vehicle owners by converting traditional fuel vehicles to CNG,” Tinubu stated. He praised NASENI’s efforts in establishing a lithium ore processing plant to produce batteries for electric vehicles in partnership with the private sector.
In his opening remarks, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, introduced the NASENI-Portland CNG Conversion and Training Centre, a collaborative project with Portland Gas Limited. The facility is capable of converting 15 vehicles every two hours, translating to 2,700 conversions monthly. Halilu proposed expanding this initiative nationwide, estimating that with 10 similar facilities in each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT, every vehicle could be converted to CNG within a year.
Halilu also requested President Tinubu’s approval to convert the State House vehicle fleet to CNG, demonstrating NASENI’s capabilities. He further offered to convert all federal government vehicles to CNG at a cost and suggested that NASENI’s CNG generators be utilized for the lighting project on Bill Clinton Drive in Abuja to encourage the purchase of NASENI’s streetlights.
Support for the initiative was echoed by the Minister of Petroleum (Gas), Epkerikpo Ekpo; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi; the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji; and the heads of the Senate and House Committees on NASENI, Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi and Hon. Taofik Ajilesoro, respectively.
The NASENI-Portland CNG Conversion and Training Centre is a cutting-edge facility equipped with advanced technology and staffed by trained professionals, aimed at enhancing local capacity and CNG technology adoption. It provides comprehensive training for technicians and engineers, fostering expertise in CNG systems and promoting green energy solutions nationwide.
This initiative is poised to significantly reduce vehicular emissions, enhance air quality, and contribute to a healthier environment. It also promises economic benefits, including lower fuel costs for consumers and the creation of new job opportunities and technical expertise in Nigeria’s burgeoning green energy sector.