President Bola Tinubu has directed the rollout of an additional 500 compressed natural gas refuelling stations nationwide, bringing the planned number of stations under the Presidential CNG Initiative to 1,000.

Tinubu disclosed this following his discussion with the Governors’ Forum on Thursday.

Commenting on the meeting in a statement personally signed by him and posted on his X handle on Thursday, the President said the governors “have, on their own initiative, resolved to take immediate measures to bring down the cost of transportation in their states, with a strong focus on leveraging the cost benefits of CNG and electric vehicles.”

He said the Federal Government was already investing significantly in the energy transition, noting that efforts were ongoing to expand conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure nationwide.

“The Federal Government is already investing significantly in this energy transition. Through the Presidential CNG Initiative, over 120,000 vehicles have been converted nationwide, with more than 100,000 additional conversion kits in the works. At the same time, we continue to expand conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure nationwide,” Tinubu said.

According to him, the Federal Government, through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, is financing more than 100 gas projects across the country, including 15 CNG mother stations and 86 daughter stations.

Tinubu said four of the projects were commissioned in May in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri, including a 15-station refuelling network in Lagos and an Abuja facility capable of serving 1,000 cars and tricycles and 50 trucks and buses daily.

“I have also directed the additional rollout of another 500 CNG refuelling stations nationwide in addition to the 500 stations ordered earlier in the year by the Fund, bringing the programme to 1,000 stations across the country,” he added.

Tinubu said the expansion was particularly important for intra-state transportation, where, he said, Nigerians felt the cost most directly.

“I am encouraged that our Governors are moving to bring these benefits closer to the people they serve,” he said.

The President said the Federal and state governments had agreed to establish a joint committee to begin implementing measures to reduce transport costs immediately.

He said: “A vehicle running on CNG spends 60 to 80 per cent less on fuel than one running on petrol.

“From October 1, our goal is that Nigerians begin to partake in those savings through lower transport fares. We have agreed that cheaper fuel should result in cheaper fares!

“Each tier of government must keep doing its part and work together for the benefit of every Nigerian.”