Tinubu approves expansion of PiCNG mandate to include electric vehicles

CNG pump

By JAMIU JAMODU

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the mandate of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PiCNG) in a new drive to reposition the initiative.

The initiative will now be known as the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PiCNG & EV).

With this approval, PiCNG & EV will lead and coordinate Nigeria’s clean mobility strategy, covering gas-driven vehicles and Electric Vehicles nationwide.

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.

President Tinubu has also directed the Executive Chairman of PiCNG & EV 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.

To achieve this, 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.