From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has received 20 out of 50 to 100 of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) compliant buses pledged by Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) last year.
During the brief ceremony that took place in the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, Tinubu assures that things will get better, expressing his commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s transportation system through natural gas, emphasising its economic necessity.
During the ceremony, Tinubu expressed gratitude for the donation, highlighting its significance in transforming Nigeria’s transportation system.
Tinubu emphasized the necessity of utilizing natural gas to power the transportation industry, stating, “If we work harder, be productive and innovative, it is an economic necessity that we should embrace.”
He acknowledged the public’s concerns regarding transportation costs, which have surged since the removal of the petrol subsidy in May.
The President assured that the government is committed to enhancing energy competitiveness and creating job opportunities through local manufacturing, as the buses were produced by Innoson Motors.
The initiative aims to reduce reliance on petrol, which constitutes 80% of Nigeria’s fuel demand, and is part of a broader strategy to improve energy competitiveness and economic prosperity in the country.
Tinubu said” I am very honoured to be here, it is a great expression for me to receive these buses on behalf of the government and making a significant innovation to transportation system.
“Utilizing natural gas to power our transportation industry is the next way to go. For many countries especially Nigeria, with our own gas, if we work harder, be productive and innovative, it is an economic necessity that we should embrace.
“I noted the recent yearnings of many ordinary Nigerians on transportation. I thank INNOSON Motors and others we have been committed to change this narrative in this country.
If we can enhance our energy competitiveness and bring about transformative changes like this, we would definitely be able to achieve the prosperity that we are working hard to accomplish for our people.
“These buses along with the CNG and being convertible is very encouraging and promising to enhance our transportation system. Countries like India have mandated CNG for commercial vehicles since 2004 and in Nigeria, commercial vehicles make up about 80 percent of our petrol demand costing us trillions of naira each month. The solution is here. We have it, we will work on it. We promise you, definitely things will get better, prosperity will be achieved.”
Chairman of the DAPPMAN, Winifred Akpani, who made the symbolic presentation, said it was in fulfillment of their association’s pledge to government in furtherance of its determination to solve energy crisis in Nigeria.
Akpani highlighted that these hybrid buses, designed and manufactured by Innoson Motors, can transport up to 100 passengers and also operate on diesel if necessary.
“We are proud to present these buses today, and we assure the government of our continued support as marketers,” Akpani stated.
She stressed the importance of proper training for drivers to ensure the buses’ durability and effective operation, noting that each bus will come with two trained drivers.
Akpani expressed optimism that these buses would significantly reduce transportation costs, which have soared since the removal of the petrol subsidy. She stated, “If transportation costs come down, food and many other expenses will follow, as transportation is a major issue in Nigeria.”
The DAPPMAN chairman also mentioned that more donations are forthcoming, reinforcing the association’s commitment to improving public transportation in the country.
She said: “We are very happy today to present these buses and we are very proud to say these buses have been designed, manufactured and delivered by INNOSON Motors, a Nigerian company in Nnewi.
“These are hybrid buses that will run on CNG. Each of these buses are capable transporting 100 people and they also have alternative use of diesel. If for any reason there’s … well, we hope not there will be shortage of CNG, but they are hybrid buses and we are very happy today that we are able to present this. And we continue to assure this government of our full support as marketers. We will continue to go the extra mile to ease the problems of all of us not just the downtrodden but everybody.
“We believe that these buses will be put to use especially since we know that more donations are coming and we thank the President for this opportunity.
“I’ll like to state that as part of our delivery, we’ve made provision that each of these buses will have two drivers and we are going to have trained at the facility that they have been manufactured. Here, we request that whoever get the buses at the end please can they contact DAPPMAN so that we can arrange those training, because we think is very important that these buses are properly handled for durability and that they can go a long way. And we are very sure that this will contribute in bringing down transportation cost and we know that if transportation cost comes down, food and so many other things will follow. Since transportation seems to be one of the big issues we have in Nigeria.
“So, on behalf of DAPPMAN, we are very happy to present this set of buses to the federal government of Nigeria.”
Speaking to State House Correspondents later, DAPPMAN chairman on the pledge of 100 buses made last year, said “Certainly, this is part of what we promised last year. We did say at least 50 buses, today we brought 30, DAPPMAN has brought 20 and another larger marketer brought 10. There are not here right now but it is the beginning. You know the independent marketer is quite large, we are hoping that this will spur others to do more. So that every state you go to in Nigeria, you will see CNG buses and that is what is so important, that are CNG buses and is suppose to bring down the cost of transportation. As we heard the President said that 80 percent of our fuel are being spent on commercial vehicles, we are hoping that this one to a large extent will enhance our prosperity in Nigeria.”
The Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Foundation, Emmanuella Arukwe, in her remarks said the 10 CNG buses, was the company’s contribution to promote clean energy and affordable transportation for the Nigerian masses.
She expressed excitement about the foundation’s involvement in the project, stating that it aligns with their focus areas of energy and the environment.
“We committed to 10 CNG buses to DAPPMAN which is what we have delivered today. We are excited to be part of this initiative. Although it is NNPC initiative but for us in the foundation, we are really committed on our area of focus which is energy and the environment.”
Arukwe highlighted the significance of the CNG buses to the economy, noting that fueling the buses is more cost-effective compared to conventional fuels.
She emphasized that the use of CNG buses will greatly reduce transportation fares, ultimately benefiting the public and boosting the economy.
“It’s very significant because for example filling those 10 buses will cost a little money. We know that CNG apart from being clean is much more cheaper, because is cheaper to fuel the vehicle the price is going to be way down. So, for the public this is the way to go.”
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the presentation signifies a major shift as promised by the Tinubu’s administration to transist from fossil fuel to renewables in this case CNG initiative. He said it is in fulfillment of the President’s promise that the country will move gradually from very expensive PMS to CNG that is very cheap and very affordable for most Nigerians.
“What this means is that Nigerians are going to be saving money, the environment is also going to be cleaner because fossil fuel are usually less environmentally friendly.”
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the Tinubu administration to modernize Nigeria’s transportation system, reduce reliance on petrol, and promote the use of cleaner energy sources. The government has role out plans to deploy a total of 3,000 CNG buses by March 2024, with a long-term goal of having one million CNG buses on the roads by 2027.