FG’s CNG policy: 120,000 conversions inadequate, says Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate have harshly criticized the Federal Government’s Compressed Natural Gas conversion programme. Atiku claims the conversion of around 120,000 vehicles in over three years is insufficient to tackle Nigeria’s transportation and cost-of-living crises.

This minimal conversion represents less than one percent of the estimated 14 million vehicles on the roads. Atiku argues that the CNG initiative has failed to offer meaningful relief to Nigerians following the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023. He accused the administration of failing to provide adequate relief, stating that the government’s announcement about the conversion was belated and a political gimmick.

The opposition party accused President Bola Tinubu of going into "panic mode" over the rising cost of living, describing the new push to expand CNG-powered transportation as a political move three years too late. They argue that the administration should have deployed CNG buses and other interventions earlier to cushion Nigerians from the impact of the petrol subsidy removal.