THE Presidency has affirmed that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is both a safer and more cost-effective option compared to petrol.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, today, took to his X account to ease concerns among Nigerians in light of a report indicating that the Malaysian government intends to phase out vehicles powered by natural gas by July 2025.
In his post, Onanuga clarified that the Malaysian situation pertains more to the safety of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), rather than the safety of CNG.
The presidential spokesperson noted that Malaysia’s attempt to transition from expensive and polluting petrol and diesel was not successful, unlike the efforts seen in countries like India, China, Iran, and Egypt.
He pointed out that Malaysia failed to establish tank manufacturing capacity during its 15 years of transition, while Nigeria is currently progressing with this within its first year.
The statement elaborates, “Clarifying Malaysia’s plan to phase out CNG-powered vehicles: The issue in Malaysia relates more to LPG safety than CNG safety.
“The original report cited government transport minister Anthony Loke stating: ‘Some car owners have modified their vehicles with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which pose significant dangers.’
“The report also addressed concerns about the safety of 15-year-old CNG cylinders. NGV encompasses both CNG and LPG. Nigeria has chosen to focus solely on CNG in its transition due to valid safety and cost issues related to LPG.
“Malaysia’s attempt to transition from expensive and polluting petrol and diesel was largely unsuccessful.
“Only converting 45,000 vehicles in 15 years (less than 0.2%) is far from commendable when compared to the successes of India, China, Iran, and Egypt.
“The end of the 15-year life cycle for CNG tanks necessitates their replacement, and it became more feasible for Malaysia to scrap their program and revert to petrol instead of continuing if they hadn’t developed tank manufacturing capacity, which Nigeria is already establishing in its first year.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government is actively promoting the conversion of vehicles from petrol to CNG, despite the public’s apprehension stemming from reports of CNG-powered vehicle explosions and other negative news.
During an event in October, President Bola Tinubu highlighted the urgent need for Nigeria to leverage its substantial natural gas resources in the transportation sector.
He emphasized that transitioning to CNG for transportation is an economic imperative for Nigeria, marking a significant transformation in the nation’s approach to public transportation and energy usage.
“Utilizing natural gas to fuel Nigeria’s transportation industry is the way forward,” he remarked.
