The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) is set to sign a significant $6 million investment deal for the Arete Mini-Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Project aimed at expanding the reach of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to Nigeria’s Northern region.
Kenechukwu Chukwu, the Technical Assistant for Stakeholder Management and Public Engagement at PCNGI, confirmed the development in a statement released on Thursday in Abuja. The signing ceremony is scheduled for Friday, April 4, 2025, at the PCNGI headquarters in the nation’s capital.
Chukwu highlighted that the upcoming event is part of a broader series of activities that will underscore the administration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to advancing affordable transportation and driving domestic gas utilization for industrial growth.
The upcoming milestone events include:
- April 4, 2025 – Signing Ceremony of the $6 million Arete Mini-LNG Project to drive CNG expansion in the North.
- April 7, 2025 – A Presidential Brief on the progress of PCNGI.
- April 11, 2025 – A groundbreaking agreement between PCNGI and public sector unions on CNG conversions for 200,000 public sector employees.
- April 15, 2025 – Phase 1 Flag-off of the tricycle deployment program, in partnership with NACTOMORAS and the Federal Ministry of Youths.
- April 25 to May 29, 2025 – Commissioning of Critical Last Mile CNG Distribution Refueling Stations in key locations such as Enugu, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lokoja, Port Harcourt, Ado Ekiti, and Abia states.
- Week of May 5, 2025 – Handover of buses and the launch of targeted CNG conversion programs for Nigerian Army servicemen.
- Week of May 19, 2025 – Launch of a ‘Train the Trainer’ program for CNG conversion for the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Police workshop technicians.
- May 2025 – Operationalization of the Autogas Framework for seamless supply at discounted prices for the Auto CNG sector in collaboration with GACN and NGML.
- May 29, 2025 – Launch of basic awareness training for Auto Technicians and Artisans.
- May 29 to June 12, 2025 – Launch of six sites for Phase 1 of the University CNG Infrastructure Program in collaboration with MDGIF and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Chukwu emphasized that the achievements of the PCNGI over the past year have been transformative and that the upcoming programs will further reinforce its commitment to rapidly transitioning the Nigerian transportation sector to CNG-powered solutions. The series of events will significantly enhance the country’s CNG footprint, promote sustainable transport options, and contribute to the long-term economic stability of the nation.
