The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has launched 12 new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations in Lagos and Abuja, marking a significant step towards enhancing Nigeria’s energy infrastructure.
The inauguration ceremony, held on Thursday, saw the simultaneous opening of six CNG stations in Abuja, constructed by NNPC Retail Ltd, and six CNG-Autogas stations in Lagos and Abuja, developed in partnership with NNPC Gas Marketing Limited and NIPCO Gas Limited.
Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), officiated the event. He highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of the new CNG stations, emphasizing their role in job creation and local economic stimulation.
“The commissioning of these stations will provide significant economic benefits by creating jobs and boosting local economies,” Ekpo stated.
He also noted that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s national goals of reducing emissions and combating climate change, commending NNPC for making CNG available to Nigerians.
Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC, reiterated the company’s commitment to expanding CNG infrastructure nationwide. “There is simply no way to turn back on delivering CNG for all Nigerians,” Kyari said.
“It is the right thing to do. Is it late? Yes, but we will make progress, we will cover the gap in order to ensure that the volatility we see with Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) does not apply to gas.”
In addition to the current CNG stations, Kyari announced plans to build three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) stations in Ajaokuta, further diversifying Nigeria’s energy mix and enhancing energy security.
Huub Stokman, Managing Director of NNPC Retail, also spoke at the event, unveiling plans to launch over 100 CNG sites within the next year. This expansion includes 16 sites developed through a joint venture between NNPC Gas Marketing and NIPCO Gas.
“CNG provides Nigeria with affordable alternatives to existing available fuel products. It will be about 40% cheaper than petrol in Nigeria, and with continued investments, it will become a significant part of our energy mix,” Stokman added.
The national oil company also announced that NNPC Gas Marketing, in partnership with NIPCO Gas Limited, has developed an Auto-CNG rollout plan for the construction of 35 additional CNG stations across several geographical zones in Nigeria.
