Kano’s CNG Stations Rise to 12 in One Year, New Facilities Launched
• Ahmed: future belongs to cheaper energy sources
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Kano State has expanded its compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure to 12 refuelling stations in one year, from virtually none, following the commissioning of two new facilities and a vehicle conversion centre by NU Synergy.
The expansion highlights growing private-sector investment in gas-powered transportation in northern Nigeria, following the activation of the Northern Corridor under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV).
Speaking at the commissioning, Executive Chairman of Pi-CNG & EV, Ismaeel Ahmed, said the development demonstrated the potential for private investors to accelerate the adoption of cheaper and cleaner transportation fuels in Nigeria.
Ahmed said, in a statement by the Pi-CNG & EV office, “The future belongs to cheaper energy sources for transportation. It is difficult to achieve that with PMS and diesel.”
Ahmed said Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources offered an opportunity to reduce transportation costs while attracting investment, creating jobs, and developing technical skills.
“Nigeria is a gas country, not an oil country. We have over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas,” he said.
He recalled that NU Synergy’s promoter had approached the initiative about four months earlier to explore investment opportunities in the CNG sector, adding that the investor has since moved from seeking guidance to commissioning new facilities.
“Today is one of my proudest moments,” Ahmed said. He added, “Four months later, this is the story. He is commissioning a CNG station in Kano.”
The two facilities are located along Zaria Road and at Mariri along Wudil Road. They combine CNG refuelling services with vehicle conversion facilities, enabling motorists to convert their vehicles to run on gas and access refuelling services within the same network.
Ahmed commended the investor for the speed of execution, describing the project as an example of the private-sector commitment needed to expand CNG infrastructure across the country. “You are a doer, you are a deliverer, and you have delivered in Kano,” he said.
The commissioning was attended by government officials, traditional leaders and private-sector representatives, including Kano State Commissioner for Transportation, representing the state governor, the Hakimi of the host local government area, and a representative of Dangote Group.
The new facilities are expected to improve access to CNG for private motorists, commercial transport operators and fleet managers, as the federal government seeks to expand the use of natural gas as an alternative to petrol and diesel.
The Northern Corridor initiative is designed to increase CNG refuelling infrastructure, vehicle conversion capacity, and investment in cleaner mobility across northern Nigeria.
As part of the commissioning activities, motorists were offered free CNG refuelling for the day.
The expansion of Kano’s network from virtually no significant refuelling infrastructure to 12 stations within a year marks a major development in the state’s emerging CNG market.
