Kano Launches Pilot Programme, Trains 400 Youths in CNG Vehicle Conversion

A cohort of 400 Kano youths has now been certified as CNG conversion engineers,completing a landmark 30-day federal training programme designed to build a technical workforce for Nigeria’s green energy transition.

The 30-day pilot programme, an initiative of the Presidential Committee on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGI), was executed by technical partners Smartence Innovation, Safe Autogas, and Fond Motors. It targeted technicians and engineers aged 18 to 28, equipping them with the skills to retrofit cars, motorcycles, and tricycles (Keke NAPEP) for CNG use.

Graduates of the intensive course were presented with certificates and starter kits at a ceremony held at the Afficent Event Centre in Kano, formally certifying them to support the growing CNG ecosystem.

In his address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI), Barrister Ismail Ahmed, stated that Kano was selected for its strategic importance as Nigeria’s commercial hub and its potential to spearhead the CNG revolution across northern Nigeria.

“With over 210 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, Nigeria has no business depending on expensive and dirty fuels. Natural gas is cheaper, safer, and environmentally friendly,” Ahmed said. He emphasized that the technology can reduce transportation costs by up to 70 percent and is a cornerstone of President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to leverage national gas resources, cut costs, create jobs, and boost industrialization.

“Kano is ready for CNG. If Kano, as the commercial heartbeat of Nigeria and West Africa, goes green, the impact will be felt nationwide,” he added, assuring that additional CNG fueling stations, conversion centres, and buses would be deployed across the country before the end of 2025.

Representing the Kano State Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, the State Commissioner for Renewable Energy, Dr. Gaddafi Sani, commended the federal government for its choice of Kano. He revealed that the state government is already advancing its commitment to the CNG value chain.

“Kano is committed to supporting clean energy investments,” Dr. Sani said. “We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of CNG fuelling stations and are supporting a 25MW CNG power project at the Kano Free Trade Zone. This will not only reduce transportation costs but also create opportunities for our youths.”

The initiative was further endorsed by representatives from the Ministry of Transport, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who collectively hailed it as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards cheaper, safer, and cleaner energy.