With the disproportionate rise in the cost of petrol and the seemingly cunning advice by the federal government to the motoring public to embrace the option of converting their vehicles to the Compressed Natural Gas CNG is still being contemplated with strong pessimism.
The pessimism is fuelled mainly by the myriad of teething problems associated with the conversion processes and the entire exercise despite the propaganda and grandiose confidence exuded by the federal government about the programme.
You will recall the confident posture of the government when introducing its plans concerning the CNG programme on May 29, 2023, when President Bola Tinubu turned one year in office, stating it was ready to launch about 2,700 CNG-powered buses and tricycles before Tinubu turns one year in office.
The CNG suddenly became a new vocabulary in the lexicon to the Nigerian motoring public, a term suggesting escape from the strangulating impact of subsidy removal on petrol (PMS), particularly for petrol driven vehicles, but it is over 18 months since that announcement was made and the experience for those who are pertinent to make the conversion has being topsy-turvy.
The euphoria of excitement that greeted the talk of the CNG is already waning owing to the very hiccups, unanswered questions and uncertainties associated with the processes.
Another major issue of concern to the motoring public is the high cost of conversion of a vehicle from the Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to gas (CNG), which is as high as N350,000, which many see as a stumbling block for them to readily embrace it.
The high cost of conversion and dearth of filling points has made the motoring public skeptical of accepting it as a viable option, due to the rising costs of the basic necessities of life, pushing many into spending more money on survival items than capital projects.
Another fear expressed by the motoring public are the availability of the CNG filling centres and availability of maintenance or repair spare parts when they begin to drive these vehicles.
The announced roll out of the CNG powered vehicles by the federal government added that it will deliver 100 conversion workshops and 60 refueling sites spread across 18 states before the end of 2024, as at writing this piece, it is still a far cry.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, who revealed these then, said, “About 2,500 of the tricycles will be ready before May 29, 2024, working towards delivering 200 units before the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration.”
It added that in all, over 600 buses are targeted for production in the first phase which will be accomplished in 2024.
Onanuga said the deployment of CNG buses and tricycles and the vision to get at least one million natural gas-propelled vehicles on our roads by 2027 will mark a major energy transition in our country’s transportation industry.
The Federal Government also plans to sell thousands of conversion kits for petrol-powered buses and taxis that want to migrate to CNG at subsidised rates, especially to commercial vehicle drivers to bring down the cost of public transportation.
The question on the lips of industry stakeholders indicate that the government is lagging far behind in the achievements of its set goals on the CNG programme.
Fears of the CNG conversion programme were further heightened following the explosion of a CNG powered vehicle in Benin City recently, prompting the Presidency to claim that the Compressed Natural Gas powered vehicle which exploded was illegally modified.
On Thursday, October 17, 2024, a video made the rounds on social media showing the vehicle in a state of ruin after the explosion, while terrified bystanders scampered for safety after the loud blast sent shockwaves of panic through the area.
The tragic incident occurred in the morning at the NIPCO filling station on Aduwawa along the Benin-Auchi Expressway.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the explosion occurred when the unapproved technician who did the installation and the car owner drove to the filling station to subject the contraption to a test run.
Three people were reportedly to have sustained various injuries from the blast, fuelling fears among many Nigerians regarding the conversion of petrol-powered vehicles to CNG.
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Engineer Funsho Adu said there are certain drawbacks associated with using CNG as an automotive fuel, such as safety risks, the limited range of the vehicle, the limited availability of fueling facilities, and the high initial investment costs.
“In order to utilize CNG in a vehicle, it is necessary to have either a CNG dedicated vehicle or a CNG bi-fuel vehicle. A dedicated CNG vehicle is a vehicle exclusively powered by CNG and it is safer, while a bi-fuel vehicle is a vehicle capable of running on both gasoline and CNG fuel.
If neither type of vehicle is available, a Certified CNG Installer would be required to install a CNG Conversion Kit for the vehicle if the vehicle is intended to be powered by CNG fuel instead of gasoline or diesel.
Johnson Atsegame, a public commentator on Radio, said, “The question I want those in government to answer is; why are they not converting their SUVs to CNG too? You will notice, none of our legislators, law makers, members of the executive arm of government are talking of converting their own vehicles. It is an issue of the poor, realizing the grave danger and hazards involved with driving CNG vehicles.
“Secondly, look at the Lagos commercial buses that ply Lagos roads day and night without much time to rest those buses, can they do that with CNG tanks, knowing how hot our weather is?” he asked.
Reacting to the incident, Jovic Emasuen, a trader in Iyana Ipaja, said: “I’m just laughing at the excuse the government is giving, I would rather buy fuel at 3k per liter than put CNG in my car! I told you all that the introduction of CNG without proper orientation to the nation is complete nonsense”.
Abisoye Ladi, a student of Federal University of Oye Ekiti, said, “Installation error, there are so many CNG vehicles being introduced, we shouldn’t start with these types of stories.”
“They keep lying to people that this CNG thing is safe, but I don’t really believe it. Okon a footballer opined.
Emeka Nwoke a commercial bus driver, “People advocating for it haven’t converted theirs ooooh! Some of them don’t even own a car. If CNG is that good and cheap, why isn’t it popular in other countries?”
Adele a School teacher said, “The major risk in converting to CNG is the conversion being done by a quack; the result would undoubtedly be an explosion.”
Philip Adejoh said: “No be quack people full this country.”
Engineer Kehinde Adetola of Super Engineers Consortiums Limited, Apapa, said, although the transition to cleaner energy is praiseworthy, it is important to consider the side effects of this change, stressing that there are disadvantages to switching from petrol to compressed natural gas (CNG). Being aware of these issues is necessary to making well-informed choices on the switch to alternative fuels.
He said, “One of the disadvantages of converting petrol cars to CNG cars is decreased Efficiency and Strength. The possible loss of power and performance when switching from petrol to CNG is a major disadvantage. Compressed natural gas (CNG) has a lower energy density than gasoline. As such, cars powered by CNG may have less horsepower.
“For drivers who value performance, this power loss may be a major problem and have an impact on the whole driving experience. Secondly, when compared to their gasoline-powered equivalents, CNG vehicles frequently have a shorter driving range. As a result of its lower energy density, CNG necessitates larger storage tanks. This can take up valuable interior space and decrease the amount of trunk space that is accessible.” He said.
Adetola added, “For drivers, having to stop more frequently for refueling can be annoying, particularly for those on long distance trips with few gas filling stations available on the way. The high Costs of Conversion is also one of the disadvantages of converting petrol cars to CNG cars. The initial cost of converting a gasoline-powered vehicle to run on compressed natural gas is high. It can be expensive to convert the car with CNG-compatible parts, like a high-pressure tank and fuel system adjustments.
“Even while there can be long-term fuel cost reductions, some prospective users might be discouraged by the conversions’ upfront costs refueling with CNG is not as well-established as it is with petrol. Even if the quantity of CNG refueling stations is steadily rising, it is still far fewer than that of petrol stations. Owners of CNG vehicles may find this restriction difficult, particularly in areas with limited access to refueling facilities.” He added.
Engr. Adetola expresses fears that Vehicles with CNG systems need specific upkeep and servicing, saying, “CNG operates at high pressure, as such, some parts may experience increased wear and tear, calling for routine maintenance and inspections by qualified specialists. In certain places, it may be difficult to find certified mechanics with CNG system knowledge. This could cause maintenance problems for owners of CNG vehicles.”
He also raised issues about environmental concerns, stressing that though CNG is typically thought of as a greener fuel than petrol, there are environmental effects associated with the extraction and delivery of this fuel.
“The main ingredient of natural gas, methane, is a strong greenhouse gas. Some of the environmental benefits associated with CNG vehicles may be countered by methane leaks that occur during the production and delivery.
