President Bola Tinubu inaugurated 30 hybrid Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses in Abuja on Monday, emphasizing that the energy initiative will significantly boost the nation’s transportation sector.
The buses, with a combined capacity to carry 3,000 passengers, were locally manufactured and donated to the federal government by the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
During the inauguration, President Tinubu stressed the importance of adopting natural gas as a fuel for the country’s transportation industry. He noted that this shift would reduce transportation costs, enhance productivity, and save trillions of naira currently spent on importing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
“If we can enhance our energy competitiveness and implement transformative changes like this, we can achieve the prosperity we are striving for,” Tinubu stated. He highlighted that commercial vehicles, which account for approximately 80 percent of Nigeria’s petroleum demand, could significantly benefit from the switch to CNG, as seen in other countries like India.
The President also praised Innoson Motors, the Nigerian company that manufactured the buses, for its commitment to supporting the administration’s CNG initiative.
In her remarks, Dame Winifred Akpani, Chairperson of DAPPMAN, expressed the association’s support for the government’s efforts to improve the transportation system, which she believes will lead to lower transportation costs. She noted that the donation of these hybrid buses underscores DAPPMAN’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s energy challenges.
