The Presidency has assured Nigerians that Compressed Natural Gas-powered vehicles recently introduced in Nigeria as an alternative to petrol-powered cars are safe.
This assurance is coming in the wake of the decision of the Malaysian government to phase out CNG-powered vehicles by 2025.
News About Nigeria reports that the Malaysian government announced plans to phase out CNG vehicles and end the sale of natural gas vehicles by July 2025.
The local media source Free Malaysia Today disclosed that Malaysia’s Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke, made this announcement at a press conference on Monday.
He explained that the decision was intended to protect road users and the public from the potential hazards posed by aging CNG tanks.
However, reacting to this, the Presidency in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, dissolved the doubts and concerns of Nigerians regarding the safety of the CNG vehicles.
He clarified that Malaysia’s policy was focused on the safety of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), not CNG.
He added that Nigeria chose CNG specifically for its safety and cost-effectiveness, with plans underway to develop domestic tank manufacturing capacity.
“The Malaysian issue relates to the safety of LPG, NOT CNG. In the original report, Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated, ‘There are also some car owners who have modified their vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which are very dangerous.
“NGV covers both CNG and LPG. Nigeria, in its transition, has adopted CNG ONLY, not both, due to valid safety and cost concerns regarding LPG.
“Malaysia’s programme for CNG-powered vehicles struggled, achieving only a 0.2% conversion rate over 15 years. By contrast, nations like India, China, Iran, and Egypt have seen considerable success,” he stated.
He further noted that Malaysia faced difficulties in replacing 15-year-old tanks due to limited manufacturing capacity, while Nigeria, in its first year of adopting CNG, is already addressing this.
