The federal government is considering deploying mobile Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations to rural communities to reduce agricultural production costs, particularly for farmers relying on petrol and diesel-powered irrigation systems.
Ismaeel Ahmed, chairman and chief executive officer of the presidential CNG initiative and electric vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), said this recently at an Abuja roundtable, organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Progressive Strategy Roundtable.
Ahmed said President Bola Tinubu had authorised the initiative to intensify its activities, adding that the federal government is committed to accelerating the expansion of gas infrastructure across the country.
He however, identified inadequate gas supply and delays in securing licences for CNG refuelling stations as major obstacles to the programme.
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The chairman appealed to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to expedite the licensing process for investors willing to establish CNG facilities.
While acknowledging the importance of strict safety standards in gas infrastructure development, Ahmed urged the regulator to streamline its approval procedures to match the urgency of the government’s gas expansion drive.
He said the proposed mobile stations would address the limited availability of gas infrastructure in remote communities, where private investors might not find it commercially viable to establish permanent CNG refuelling facilities.
“The government is exploring the option following consultations with state governments, particularly in Northern Nigeria, which revealed growing demand for CNG beyond the transportation sector,” Ahmed said.
He said farmers are increasingly seeking to adopt gas-powered irrigation pumps as an alternative to petrol and diesel-powered equipment to reduce production costs and improve agricultural productivity.
Citing Jigawa as an example, Ahmed said the governor had informed the initiative that the state has more than two million farmers who could benefit from access to cheaper energy for irrigation.
He explained that mechanical irrigation pumps could cover approximately three hectares of farmland, compared with solar-powered alternatives, which typically serve about one hectare.
Although solar-powered irrigation is being promoted as an alternative energy source, Ahmed said some farmers prefer mechanical pumps because of their wider coverage and greater operational capacity.
According to him, the proposed mobile CNG stations would improve gas availability to farmers in underserved locations, particularly communities where the absence of permanent refuelling infrastructure is limiting adoption.
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Juliet Onyema is a transport journalist who reports on Nigeria’s transport and automobile industry. She covers emerging Electric Vehicles (EVs), ranging from adoption to usage, automobile firms and transport policies which affect them, and also recurring trends affecting commuters’ mobility interstate and intrastate.
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