President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate rollout of 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas conversion kits within the next two to three weeks, in a push to ease the burden of soaring petrol and diesel prices on Nigerians.

The directive followed a briefing at the State House in Abuja by the Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, Ismaeel Ahmed, who said the President is pressing for swift, visible results.

According to Ahmed, Tinubu’s instruction was driven in part by the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on global oil prices, which has translated into higher transportation costs across Nigeria. The President, he said, demanded an aggressive scale-up of gas-based alternatives to shield commuters and businesses from further shocks.

Ahmed explained that the 100,000 kits will be deployed in partnership with multiple stakeholders to ensure rapid market penetration. The goal is to convert large numbers of vehicles and tricycles to run on CNG, a cheaper and cleaner alternative to petrol and diesel.

Conversion centres nationwide are expected to become “bustling with a lot of conversion activities” once the rollout begins, he said, adding that the initiative also covers the deployment of vehicles and tricycles equipped with bi-fuel CNG and electric mobility systems.

Tinubu has also directed the Presidential Initiative to fast-track the development of supporting infrastructure, including CNG refilling stations and electric vehicle charging points, with particular emphasis on the Northern corridor.

Ahmed disclosed that 77 refilling stations are at various stages of development across the country, with notable progress in Kano, where two LCNG stations and several “daughter” stations are under construction. The Northern corridor from Lokoja through Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Kano and up to Maiduguri is to be “littered” with refuelling units to guarantee access for motorists.

The initiative is working with local manufacturers and courting international firms to establish assembly lines in Nigeria, a move Ahmed said is central to job creation and long-term availability of CNG and electric mobility solutions.

In collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency, the programme will also deploy solar-powered charging stations to support the growing number of electric vehicles already being imported by Nigerians, ensuring that infrastructure keeps pace with demand.

Launched by Tinubu as a post-subsidy reform measure, the Presidential Initiative on CNG targets the conversion of one million vehicles and the creation of a nationwide CNG refilling network, leveraging the fact that CNG can be 60 to 70 per cent cheaper than petrol.