Starting October 1, 2024, the Federal Government, through the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi), will begin distributing 2,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tricycles to young Nigerians in the transportation sector across the country. This initiative is part of the government’s strategy to promote more affordable and eco-friendly transportation solutions.
The PCNGi announced the program through an X (formerly Twitter) post on Saturday, emphasising that this distribution aligns with the Tinubu administration’s broader commitment to improve Nigeria’s transportation infrastructure. The focus is on reducing rising transportation costs while encouraging the use of clean energy alternatives.
The distribution will begin in Abuja on October 1 at the Old Parade Ground in Area 11, Garki, at 1:00 PM. According to PCNGi’s official post, “The Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGi) is distributing 2,000 CNG-powered tricycles to informal youth in the transportation sector as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to reduce transportation costs for Nigerians.”
Government Collaboration and Economic Goals
The initiative is the result of a collaborative effort between PCNGi and the Ministry of Youths, aimed at not only providing young Nigerians with job opportunities but also advancing environmental and economic objectives. Michael Oluwagbemi, the PCNGi Program Director/Chief Executive, confirmed that the goal is to empower Nigerian youth while addressing the country’s growing environmental challenges.
Boosting Sustainable Transportation
PCNGi’s efforts go beyond tricycle distribution. On Friday, the initiative launched its Transport Fare Drop Programme in Abuja to promote CNG as a cleaner and cheaper fuel alternative. This move is expected to significantly lower transportation costs across Nigeria, with the partnership between PCNGi and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) set to convert vehicles operating on the Abuja-Itakpe Station to Adavi route to CNG, targeting a 30-40% fare reduction.
On Monday, September 30, 2024, PCNGi will sign an agreement with the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) to launch the Nigerian Police CNG Conversion Programme. This initiative will train police cadets to manage CNG conversion centres established by the NPTF, ensuring the sustainable rollout of CNG infrastructure.
Furthermore, PCNGi will expand its efforts to Kogi and Ekiti states in early October. The programme will hand over CNG buses to the Kogi State mass transit system on Wednesday, October 2nd, while inaugurating three CNG conversion sites in the state. Ekiti State will also benefit from this initiative, receiving CNG buses and four additional conversion sites next week.
