By Sarah NEGEDU
Nigeria’s shift from costly, polluting fuels to abundant, environmentally friendly natural gas is shaping the country’s transport future, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has said.
Speaking at the 2nd Annual Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, Conference and World Sustainable Transport Day in Abuja, Mahmoud described the transition as more than a technical upgrade.
She said, “It is a strategic investment driven by the need for national survival and economic transformation.”
She highlighted the role of the FCT Administration under Barrister Nyesom Wike, saying Abuja’s transport system is being redesigned for efficiency, sustainability, and convenience.
“The FCT Administration is committed to expanding refuelling infrastructure and enacting policies that encourage alternative fuels while discouraging high-emission transport practices,” Mahmoud stressed.
The Minister urged stakeholders across the private sector, technical fields, financing, and transport operations to join the government’s push for change.
“Nigeria’s future depends on swift and collective action to build a cost-effective, low-emission transport system fueled by our natural resources,” she said, expressing confidence that decisions taken at the conference would secure a cleaner environment for future generations.
In her welcome remarks, the MD/CEO of Automotive Gas Nigeria Services Limited, Maryam Ibrahim, said the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, PCNGI, is not just about meeting global climate goals.
“It is a strategic economic reform aimed at reducing fuel costs, improving energy security, and driving inclusive growth right here at home,” she said, applauding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing the initiative as a key part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
