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Nigeria sets aside N250bn for autogas vehicle conversion

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As part of efforts to ensure that the autogas conversion of vehicles yielded the desired results, the Federal Government says it has set aside N250 billion for willing investors in autogas assembly plants in the country.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, disclosed this on Tuesday, in Abuja, at an Autogas Technicians Training and Certification Programme.

The programme was organised by the technicians, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, National Gas Expansion Programme,  the Nigerian Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Automotive and Locomotive Engineering Institute, amongst others.

The minister, who was represented by the Senior Technical Adviser on Referendum, Mr Umar Gwandu, said that the money was already in the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and those interested in opening conversion centres could access it.

Sylva explained that the decision to make the money available was as a result of the huge amount spent by government on fuel subsidy, adding that it was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to adopt gas as an alternative fuel for the country.

“The amount of money government is spending on  fuel subsidy is high so the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, in a bid to ease the pains of Nigerians, decided to look inward and evolved ways to reduce the cost.

“If we  focus on moving from fossil fuel to Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), it will save us a lot of money because the benefits are enormous.

“Apart from the fact that autogas is cheaper, we are also concerned about making the conversion of cars affordable so that Nigerians can indeed reap the advantage of this new policy,” the minister said.

He added that  the conversion underscored the seriousness of the new government initiative and urged Nigerians  to embrace gas-powered vehicles as they were cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

While pledging the support of the ministry to the project, Sylva cautioned autogas technicians to ensure that converted vehicles functioned properly and were well-maintained.

Earlier, Mr Robinson Elijah, Chairman, Autogas Technology Education and Research Advisory Board, urged Nigerians and other stakeholders to take advantage of the project.

Elijah reiterated the commitment of the board to maximise the investment, while relying on the experience garnered over the years to ensure that the project was successful.

Mrs Joyce Daser-Adams, Chief Executive Officer of Auto Lady Engineering Technology, said that one of the major challenges in converting a vehicle from fossil fuel to LPG or CNG was the non- availability of parts.

According to her, the parts are not in Nigeria, we need to import them that is why we are working with foreign partners.

Daser-Adams said that the cost of converting a vehicle was about N200,000 adding that it was very safe and the risk of an explosion in the event of a collision was very minimal.

Residents happy with drop in price of cooking gas

Nigeria to roll out Autogas programme

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Tanko Mohammed

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Dec.1, roll out the  National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) to deepen domestic usage of gas in the country.

This is contained in a statement by Alhaji Garba Deen Muhammad, Special Adviser on Media to Minister of State for Petroleum Resources  Chief Timipre Sylva, in Abuja.

He said the event would herald the formal dispensing of autogas (Compressed Natural Gas, CNG and Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG) products at two NNPC Retail stations.

“The roll out is the culmination of the resolve of the President Buhari-led Government to deepen domestic usage of natural gas in its various forms.

“It is also in line with the government’s plan to make gas the first choice source of cheaper and cleaner energy for Nigerians in their personal and industrial endeavours,” he  said.

He added that Sylva on behalf of the Federal Government  would handover CNG-powered mass transport buses to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

This, he said, was part of the agreement reached with labour during negotiations and in recognition of the role organised labour played in the quest to bring relief to ordinary Nigerians.

“The Federal Government Autogas program will deliver at least one million vehicle conversions by the end of 2021.

“It will herald the clean energy transition for Nigeria and delivery of cheap transportation fuel,” he added.

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Buhari to roll out autogas scheme Dec. 1

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By Tanko Mohammed

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Dec. 1, roll out the autogas scheme in Abuja as the Federal Government moves to create alternative fuel for automobiles and other prime movers in Nigeria.

Dr Mohammed Ibrahim,  Chairman, National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), made the announcement at a meeting with media stakeholders on Saturday in Lagos.

Ibrahim said the autogas scheme and deepening domestic utilisation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) would create about 12.5 million direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.

He disclosed that cars in the presidential fleet had been converted to run on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Ibrahim said the need to switch from PMS (petrol) to gas was necessitated by the deregulation of petrol by the government, which had led to increment in the pump prices in recent times.

According him, gas is a cheaper, safer and cleaner source of energy, hence the need to maximise its utilisation in Nigeria.

Ibrahim said the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) had issued new guidelines that were encouraging multi-fuel models for existing filling stations, which would be available nationwide within 30 months.

He said :”We need about 500, 000 conversion engineers in the next 90 days to ensure that the retrofitting of the vehicles go as planned.

“Fifty conversion centres are currently upgrading for mass conversion and trainings and over 30,000 vehicles are already running on dual fuels in Nigeria.”

Ibrahim said to deepen domestic cooking gas usage, the NGEP had set up Micro Distribution Centres (MDC) nationwide to bridge the supply and accessories gap between the market and consumers.

He said the MDC scheme would create easy access of cooking gas to police and paramilitary barracks and private estates nationwide.

Ibrahim said the NGEP would also train 10 entrepreneurs from every local government area in the country in the areas of burners, cookers, accessories production and development of MDCs.

He said : “The 90 days training is being undertaken by the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board and the Petroleum Trust and Development Fund.

” These entrepreneurs will get their own foundries for manufacturing and will thereafter train others as time goes on.”

Ibrahim said the NGEP would thereafter push for an executive order banning the importation of these items into the country in order to create jobs for more Nigerians.

He said the committee was also working toward utilisation of gas to boost electricity supply across the country and was targeting a minimum of one megawatt per local government.