The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) Friday commenced a transport fare drop programme across the country, starting with Abuja.
This was even as PCNGi ramped up the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a cleaner, more affordable alternative to fuel.
Representatives of the PCNGi, while signing an MOU with the National Union of Road Transport Workers covering the Abuja to Itakpe Station—Ajaokuta Train Station—Adavi route to convert fleet vehicles to CNG in return for a 30-40% fare reduction, however said that that the programme will encourage NURTW members in Abuja to convert their vehicles to CNG in exchange for a fare reduction.
Program Director/Chief Executive, PCNGi, Michael Oluwagbemi, added that the PCNGi will on Saturday, continue its nationwide commercial incentive programme for commercial car open days, expanding to 38 centres in Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, and Edo states.
According to him, “The PCNGi will sign an agreement with the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) on Monday, September 30th, to operationalise the Nigerian Police CNG Conversion Programme and train cadets to manage the strategic conversion centres the NPTF is investing in.”
Oluwagbemi, further said that the initiative will help train the police cadets to manage strategic conversion centres established by the NPTF.
“Similarly, to celebrate Nigeria’s 64th Anniversary of Independence on October 1st, 2024, the PCNGi will launch the CNG Tricycle Empowerment Program in collaboration with the Ministry of Youths.
Oluwagbemi added that the program was aimed at providing over 2000 young Nigerians with the opportunity to own and operate CNG-powered tricycles.
He noted: “The PCNGi will launch the Kogi State Conversion Incentive Programme on Wednesday, October 2nd, and hand over CNG buses to the state’s mass transit entity to ply interstate routes to Abuja.
“Additionally, the PCNGI will inaugurate three new CNG conversion sites in the state.
“To conclude the week’s activities, the PCNGI will launch in Ekiti State, where the handover of CNG buses to the state mass transit organisation to ply the route to Abuja will take place. It will also inaugurate four new CNG conversion sites in the state.”