The Presidency has sought to allay concerns regarding the safety of Compressed Natural Gas-powered vehicles, recently introduced in Nigeria as an alternative to petrol-powered cars.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed these fears in a post on X on Thursday while responding to reports on Malaysia’s plan to phase out CNG-powered vehicles by 2025.
Recall that the Malaysian government announced plans to phase out CNG vehicles and end the sale of natural gas vehicles by July 2025.
According to local media source, Malaysia’s Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke, made this announcement at a press conference on Monday. He explained that the decision was intended to protect road users and the public from the potential hazards posed by ageing CNG tanks.
However, Onanuga clarified that Malaysia’s policy was focused on the safety of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), not CNG.
He added that Nigeria chose CNG specifically for its safety and cost-effectiveness, with plans underway to develop domestic tank manufacturing capacity.
