The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has commended the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for championing affordable and cleaner energy through its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative.
In a statement by NASENI’s Deputy Director of Information, Chima Akwaja, Abbas—represented by Hon. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh—spoke during the commissioning of the NASENI-Portland CNG Conversion Training Centre and Refill Station in Kubwa.
He noted that energy transitions were not just about technology but about improving the quality of life for citizens.
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He praised NASENI’s leadership for easing the burden of high energy costs on Nigerians, urging the public to embrace energy transition. Citing countries like Argentina, Pakistan, and Iran, where millions of vehicles have been successfully converted to CNG, Abbas expressed confidence that Nigeria could take the lead in Africa.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, described the NASENI-Portland partnership as a demonstration of the private sector’s role in driving economic growth.
“Our role as government is to act as a catalyst, unlocking the private sector’s expertise and capital to deliver meaningful results for the Nigerian people,” she said, noting that NASENI’s pace under Khalil Muhammad Halilu’s leadership should serve as a model for other agencies.
NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Halilu, explained that the new facility, which comprises a CNG conversion centre, training hub, and refill station, aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for a diversified and sustainable economy.
He disclosed that the Kubwa station can convert up to 20 vehicles daily, which would help reduce costs, improve service quality, and end monopolies in the sector. He added that NASENI plans to replicate such facilities across all 36 states and the FCT within the coming year.
Halilu highlighted the benefits of CNG, including lower fuel costs, cleaner air, better engine performance, energy security, and job creation for youths. He further revealed that NASENI has already trained 30 engineers in CNG conversion, auto maintenance, and clean energy technologies.
The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, praised the initiative and urged other agencies to support NASENI’s drive to make transportation energy more affordable.
The Managing Director of Portland Gas Ltd, Hon. Folajimi Mohammed, expressed gratitude to the federal government for its support, noting that the CNG initiative would significantly cut transportation costs and ease the financial burden on Nigerians.
