NEWS
FG To Launch 100 New CNG Stations Nationwide Within Six Months
As part of its ongoing efforts to promote the use of cleaner, more affordable fuel alternatives to petrol, the Federal Government will be launching 100 new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations across Nigeria in the next six months.
This initiative aims to reduce the cost of fuel for Nigerians while also supporting the country’s energy transition goals.
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Speaking at an event in Ogun State, Oluwagbemi Michael, the Programme Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) had already acquired equipment to establish 40 of these new CNG stations.
This comes in addition to 12 stations the NNPC has set up in the past year, with six in Abuja and six in Lagos.
Oluwagbemi noted that the government’s goal is to improve the accessibility of CNG as a cleaner, cheaper alternative fuel, addressing public concerns over the limited availability of CNG refuelling stations.
He explained that the expansion is backed by an active infrastructure development programme, in collaboration with the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund.
“Two weeks ago, about N122 billion was released to six private organisations investing in the CNG distribution value chain,” Oluwagbemi said. “This will ensure that we have sufficient CNG distribution infrastructure across the country.”
In addition to the NNPC’s efforts, several private companies are also contributing to the expansion of CNG infrastructure.
Companies such as Bovas, NIPCO, Matrix, and MRS are investing heavily in the sector, with Bovas working on eight stations and NIPCO adding 12 more to their existing network of 10 stations.
The PCNGI CEO noted that Nigeria had only 13 to 20 CNG refuelling stations a year ago, but that number has grown to 50 today.
He expects this figure to double within six months, driven by ongoing investment and government support.
The federal government is also pushing the distribution of one million CNG conversion kits to commercial drivers and providing credit schemes for private individuals to convert their petrol-powered vehicles to CNG.
Oluwagbemi assured Nigerians that as more vehicles convert to CNG, the demand for refuelling stations will continue to rise, encouraging more private investment in the sector.
He also confirmed that existing petrol stations could be upgraded to offer CNG services, with the NNPC already working on 40 such upgrades.
He emphasized that the government is committed to creating a robust CNG infrastructure to support the country’s energy transition, reduce fuel costs for Nigerians, and provide a cleaner, safer alternative to petrol.
The South-South Reawakening Group has opposed plans to align the proposed coastal road with the East-West Road, insisting that both projects should be constructed side by side.
The group’s convener, Joseph Ambakederimo, stated this during an interview on Arise TV on Sunday, arguing that the coastal road should be delivered as a separate infrastructure project rather than diverted to the existing East-West Road.
Ambakederimo said the coastal road had remained on the drawing board for many years and questioned why the project was now being considered for alignment with the East-West Road.
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“I posted on my LinkedIn handle when somebody posted the minister’s briefing. I said no. Mr. Minister, we want to see the coastal road side by side the East-West Road,” he said.
“We want to see that happen, not to do any alignment. Alignment of what? To where? We need that coastal road, and that road has been on the drawing board for so many years. So many, many years.”
He urged engineers to revisit their plans and address potential environmental challenges associated with constructing the road through the South-South region.
“I believe the feasibility of that road has been done. We know the processes of building roads, infrastructure all over the world. Pure and concrete feasibility would have been done. So let the engineers go back to the drawing board,” Ambakederimo said.
His comments come amid concerns over the proposed route of the coastal road and calls for the Federal Government to reconsider its approach to the project.
Ambakederimo maintained that the coastal road should be constructed alongside the East-West Road rather than aligned with it, stressing the importance of delivering the long-awaited infrastructure project to the South-South region.
The Nigeria Police Force has rescued an abducted farmer, Nafi’u Abubakar Sarki, as security operatives continue efforts to locate 10 other farmers abducted by armed bandits in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The rescue operation followed the abduction of 11 farmers at Kamfanin Madam Village, according to the police operational update issued on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
The police said tactical teams, working alongside local vigilantes, traced the escape route used by the suspected bandits in an effort to locate the victims.
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“Police Tactical Teams and local vigilantes successfully traced the escape route of armed bandits who abducted 11 farmers at Kamfanin Madam Village, Maru LGA,” the statement said.
It added that “one of the abducted victims, Nafi’u Abubakar Sarki, was safely rescued unharmed, while operations continue for the rescue of the remaining victims.”
The police identified the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Gusau as the unit investigating the incident.
Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for 2027, has urged the South-East to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration based on verifiable projects and measurable results rather than political propaganda.
Showunmi made the call in a statement posted on X on Saturday, urging Nigerians to evaluate the government’s performance based on infrastructure delivery, funds committed to projects and their impact on communities.
He said federal infrastructure initiatives targeting the South-East under Tinubu’s administration deserved serious scrutiny and factual assessment, adding that unfulfilled promises should continue to be pursued until the expected results were delivered.
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“Our message is clear: We will not trade facts for propaganda, nor accountability for political loyalty!” he said.
The political figure challenged critics of the administration to provide evidence to support their claims, while urging those defending the government to present the projects and demonstrate their impact.
He also called on government officials to publish relevant figures, disclose project timelines and provide measurable results, insisting that no public official should be exempt from scrutiny.
According to Showunmi, the South-East deserves infrastructure that supports economic growth, including roads that connect markets, investments that create jobs and policies that expand economic opportunities.
He maintained that political representation must translate into tangible benefits for citizens, stressing that public office should deliver value to the people.
As part of his call to action, Showunmi urged Nigerians to scrutinise government records, challenge misinformation with evidence and demand the completion of outstanding projects.
He further called for public commitments to be matched by measurable delivery, arguing that leadership should be assessed by facts and results rather than political rhetoric.
Ending his statement with the slogan, “Asiwaju is a goal,” Showunmi called for accountability and greater inclusion of the South-East in Nigeria’s development.
Showunmi is associated with The Alternative and is a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.
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