The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) has secured a $6 million investment for the Arete mini-Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) project, aimed at boosting the expansion of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure to Nigeria’s northern region.
Kenechukwu Chukwu, Technical Assistant in charge of Stakeholder Management and Public Engagement for PCNGI, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja. He revealed that the official signing ceremony for the Arete mini-LNG investment project will take place on Friday, April 4, 2025, at the PCNGI headquarters in the nation’s capital.
Chukwu emphasized that the initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance affordable transportation and promote the domestic use of natural gas for industrialization, underlining the administration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the ongoing CNG revolution.
The series of events marking the expansion of CNG services across the country include the signing of the $6 million Arete mini-LNG project, the first milestone in a series of key engagements.
“On April 4, 2025, the signing ceremony of the Arete Mini-LNG Project Investment will take place. This project is designed to drive the expansion of CNG to the northern region, marking a significant step in the government’s push to transform the national transport sector,” Chukwu said.
In addition to the signing ceremony, other upcoming events were outlined by Chukwu, which include a Presidential Brief on PCNGI’s progress on April 7, 2025. Furthermore, on April 11, a groundbreaking agreement with Public Sector Unions will be signed, aimed at delivering CNG conversion services to 200,000 public sector employees.
By April 15, the Phase 1 rollout of the tricycle deployment program will kick off, with support from NACTOMORAS and the Federal Ministry of Youths. Key states, including Enugu, FCT, Lokoja, Port Harcourt, Ado Ekiti, and Abia, are set to host the commissioning of Critical Last Mile CNG Distribution Refueling Stations between April 25 and May 29, 2025.
In a move to further strengthen CNG infrastructure, there will also be a significant handover of buses and the launch of targeted conversion programs for Nigerian Army servicemen in the week of May 5, 2025. The week of May 19, 2025, will witness the launch of a security services training initiative focused on CNG conversions for military personnel, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Police technicians.
The operationalization of the Autogas Framework in May will facilitate a smooth, discounted supply of CNG for the auto sector, in collaboration with the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN) and the Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited (NGML).
By May 29, 2025, the initiative will launch basic awareness training for auto technicians and artisans. Later that month, between May 29 and June 12, Phase 1 of the University CNG Infrastructure Program will be rolled out at six locations, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and the MDGIF.
Chukwu commended the transformative progress made by PCNGI over the past year, stating that these initiatives demonstrate the administration’s commitment to swiftly transitioning Nigeria’s transportation sector to CNG, which promises cleaner, more affordable fuel solutions for millions of Nigerians.
The series of events reflects the administration’s determination to create sustainable energy solutions and infrastructure across the country, and the $6 million Arete Mini-LNG project is an essential part of this ambitious plan.
