Nigerian Vehicle Manufacturing Firm Delivers CNG Vehicles to FG, Innosson Makes Promises.

On Wednesday, August 8, 2024, the Nigerian government received over 60 hybrid Jet Mover buses from Jet Motor Company, a local manufacturing firm. These buses, which can run on both Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and petrol, were handed over to government officials from the Ministry of Finance and representatives of the Presidential Initiative for Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG) during a ceremony at the company’s plant in Lagos.

Jet Motors was one of the selected vendors for CNG bus delivery under the Pi-CNG initiative.

Earlier this year, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, inspected some of these vehicles to assess their quality before the rollout. Dimas Hamidu, the Technical Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, commended the quality of the vehicles and praised the company’s work, stating that they demonstrate President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to alleviating the challenges brought by the removal of fuel subsidies.

Hamidu also mentioned that these new vehicles, which can switch between CNG and petrol with ease, will significantly help meet Nigerians’ transportation needs and mitigate the effects of inflation on the economy. He acknowledged that many Nigerians have been eagerly awaiting the deployment of these vehicles.

Jet Motor’s Managing Director, Derek Ewelekwa, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for the opportunity to contribute to a more efficient and comfortable transportation model for the country. He highlighted that each vehicle is equipped with two CNG tanks with a combined capacity of 220 litres, capable of running 300 kilometers, as well as an 80-litre petrol tank. The CNG tanks have a lifespan of 15 years, and the engines can seamlessly switch between gas and petrol.

This development comes amid President Bola Tinubu’s request to Innoson Motors’ Chairman, Innocent Chukwuma, to manufacture CNG-powered vehicles for Nigeria.

According to Chukwuma, Innoson Motors has been manufacturing CNG buses for the past two years. During a press briefing following his meeting with the President in Abuja on Thursday, August 8, 2024, Chukwuma urged patience from the public, emphasizing that the government is working diligently with Indigenous vehicle manufacturers to bring these vehicles to market.

Previously, it was reported that nationwide conversion centers are experiencing high demand as vehicle owners seek to convert their petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to run on CNG. Despite the excitement, the conversion process, which costs between N700,000 to N1.8 million, has discouraged some owners. However, Michael Oluwagbemi, the Programme Director/Chief Executive of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, announced that the conversion of commercial vehicles to CNG will be free.