One of the major policy pronouncements of President Bola Tinubu upon his inauguration was the termination of the controversial fuel subsidy regime.

I can still vividly recollect how Mr. President looked into the excited crowd at the Eagle Square and screamed, “Fool subsidy is gone!”

If the crowd did not fully understand the import of the rather weighty pronouncement, they surely did by the following morning, as the fuel pump price astronomically moved from around N180 to over N1200.

Thus began a hyperinflation regime that suddenly shot up the prices of many items. Most affected, however, was the price of food items, as pepper, tomato, yam, rice, Gaari, and beans, among others, became prized items.

This, coupled with the high cost of transportation, made life quite unbearable for the average compatriot. Suddenly, the street became cold and quiet. This is no joke, the street simply stopped smiling. Perhaps, the most badly hit were the operatives of the informal sector who rely heavily on spending from middle-level income earners to survive. Sadly, the middle-level income earners were not finding things easy either.

To say that yours sincerely also felt the heat would be an understatement. For me, most hit was the cost of fueling my car. Before the cancellation of the fuel subsidy regime, I was hardly spending close to N40,000 on fuel for my car every month. However, with the “fuel subsidy is gone” assertion, it shot up by more than 300%. I was spending close to N300,000 per month on fuel.

It got so bad that I became nervous each time I gazed at the fuel gauge and discovered I needed to urgently refuel. By now, a few guys have abandoned their cars, opting for commercial vehicles. The road had become lighter with limited vehicles moving around.

It was a time that truly tested the much-talked-about resilient spirit of Nigerians. Considering the impolite, lousy, and uncouth nature of the typical Lagos driver and bus conductor, for me, going through commercial buses was never an alluring option.

So, I opted to carry my cross and sulk in silence. Meanwhile, the high cost of fuel was driving me crazy. Still, I chose to go by the hard way, which, as James Hardly Chase says, is the only way.

But then, I was soon to discover that the hard way, in this regard, was not the only way!

On a fateful day, I received a call from a good friend of mine, Ayoade, who lives in an eyebrow part of the metropolis. After exchanging pleasantries, I teased him about the fuel situation.

“I am sure you guys with fat pay care less about the high cost of fuel. As they say, man pass man”, I said mischievously.

“Who says?” he asked.

“For your information, I have not taken my SUV out for about one year now. Fuelling it costs a fortune. So, what I do is to make use of my corolla car. Comparatively, it’s cheaper to fuel that”, he said.

Then, all of a sudden, he changed the gear of the conversation.

“Well, I have since moved on”, he said

“How do you mean?”, I asked rather curiously.

“I have converted my SUV to CNG. I cannot come and die?”, he replied.

To douse my inquisitiveness, Ayoade went on to lecture me on CNG and the process involved en route conversion. By the average guy’s standard, he spent quite a fortune to make his SUV CNG compliant.

That, in his words, was a saving grace. Ever since, he said he has stopped wasting so much on fuelling.

He said, “That’s the way to go now, my brother. Do not listen to the lies on social media. It’s safe, convenient, and cost-effective to use CNG. I have been using it for about a year now, and I can tell you that I have no regrets”.

Encouraged by Ayoade’s sincere analysis and advice, I also decided to have a go at the CNG experience. With his guidance, I was able to convert my car at a lesser cost because of it’s limited engine capacity.

That was in November 2024.

Making that decision is a lifesaver. Indeed, that was probably the wisest financial decision that I made in 2014. Swiftly, my finances improved, and my blood pressure stabilized! From spending close to N300,000 a month on fuel, my expenses dropped dramatically to a little below N30,000 monthly. Yes, you heard me right!

It was like magic! It was too good to be true. The first time I visited the gas station to fill my tank, and I saw the cost on the meter, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“What did you say, sir?” I asked the attendant.

“Your money is N2,800, sir”, he repeated.

I cleared my eyes, looked at the meter, made the payment, and quickly zoomed off before he changed his mind.

That was how I was liberated from the shackles of the high cost of fuel.

I have been driving my CNG-powered car since November 2024, and I can confidently attest to the fact that it is a better option, especially for middle-income earners.

I had traveled from Lagos to Osogbo, in Osun State, spending less than N5000 on gas. I had traveled from Lagos to Ibadan in Oyo State, spending a mere N3800 on gas. I had traveled from Lagos to Abeokuta, spending less than N3000 on gas. For the average car user, the CNG is nothing but an economic liberator.

However, in the typical Naija fashion, these days, it is increasingly becoming tough and arduous to get one’s car filled up. Many Nigerians, especially operatives of Danfo, Marwa, and Korope, have also jasi (become compliant).

Only God knows how!

But the truth is that a lot of the commercial bus operators now use CNG. As a result of this, getting one’s car filled up with gas is now like the proverbial eye of the needle.

It is becoming increasingly strenuous, stressful, and irritating. These days, one spends close to 2 hours waiting to get a refill. It’s as bad as that. If not for its immense economic benefits, it’s almost becoming a frustrating experience.

One finds it rather incredible that in the whole of Lagos, there are not up to 8 functional CNG stations. I stand to be corrected, anyway! In the whole of Oyo and Osun States, as I write this piece, the functional CNG stations are not up to 3. With the high rate at which many are converting to CNG, it is quite clear that the number of CNG stations across the country needs to be increased urgently and rapidly.

The promoters of CNG did a lot to convince the people to make the shift, so they need to do more to retain them. The government and all stakeholders need to do more to fully entrench the CNG culture into our transport system. It is good to have options, and it is a better option!

Considering the soothing relief that it brings to the people, especially car users, the only way the government could show that it cares about the welfare of the people is to encourage more investment in the whole CNG system.

Ogunbiyi is Director, Features, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos