Tinubu Approves Expansion of Presidential CNG Initiative to Include Electric Vehicles

President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Presidential initiative on Compressed Natural Gas to include electric vehicles, a move aimed at fostering the shift to green energy.

In a Thursday statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the initiative will now be known as the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PiCNG & EV).

According to the statement, PiCNG & EV will lead and coordinate Nigeria’s clean mobility strategy, covering gas-driven vehicles and Electric Vehicles nationwide.

The statement reads, “The Initiative will continue to drive the deployment of CNG infrastructure, including Mother and Daughter Stations, Integrated Refuelling Units, CNG vehicles and equipment, and nationwide conversion programmes. It will also anchor the development and rollout of electric vehicles, EV charging infrastructure, and related investments nationwide.

“Gas remains a competitive and strategic fuel for transportation, leveraging Nigeria’s abundant resources to lower costs, strengthen energy security, and conserve foreign exchange. The inclusion of electric vehicles further strengthens the government’s agenda for affordable, efficient, and environmentally responsible mobility.”

The statement also revealed that President Tinubu has directed the Executive Chairman of PiCNG & EV, Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, to immediately establish a coordinated process for the rapid deployment of vehicle conversion kits across the country and ensure that such kits are accessible to Nigerians at a cost that is not burdensome.

The statement added that to achieve the goal, the Initiative will work with CreditCorp Nigeria, financial institutions, and relevant partners to design cost-effective financing structures that make vehicle conversions widely accessible to the public.

The President further directed the accelerated deployment of Mobile Refuelling Units (MRUs) to expand access to CNG while permanent infrastructure continues to scale.