FG to Deploy First 500 CNG Stations Nationwide by October.

The Federal Government is expected to receive the first batch of 500 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations by the end of October 2026, as part of efforts to expand CNG infrastructure across Nigeria.

The Executive Chairman of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), Ismael Ahmed, disclosed this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH on Saturday.

Ahmed said another 500 CNG stations would subsequently be ordered, bringing the total number of stations being procured to 1,000.

The development follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive in August for an additional 500 CNG refuelling stations nationwide, alongside 500 stations previously ordered by the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund.

According to Ahmed, the first batch has already been ordered, but deployment requires construction, transportation, installation and connection.

He said the government would prioritise areas with high demand for CNG, based on factors such as the number of vehicles and traffic volume rather than political considerations.

“We are looking all over the country,” Ahmed said, listing Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Zamfara, Borno, Enugu, Anambra and Lafia among the locations being assessed.

Ahmed also disclosed that Abuja currently has 26 operational CNG stations, the highest number in the country. However, he identified the availability of suitable land as a major challenge to establishing more stations in the Federal Capital Territory.

He added that natural gas is available across the country, but more refuelling stations are needed to improve access.

President Tinubu had earlier said the government was investing in CNG conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure to expand the use of gas and reduce transportation costs.

According to the President, vehicles running on CNG could spend 60 to 80 per cent less on fuel than petrol-powered vehicles, while the government is targeting lower transport fares from October 1.

In May, Tinubu commissioned four CNG infrastructure projects in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri, including a high-capacity CNG daughter booster station in Jahi, Abuja.