The Nigerian Army has successfully converted no fewer than 30 of its operational vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

This move positions the organisation as the first service in the Nigerian Armed Forces to embrace the shift towards CNG-powered automobiles.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, today inaugurated the Ultramodern Multipurpose Auto Care Service and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion Centre by Luftreiber Automobile.

The Centre, located in the Jahi District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will provide a variety of services to its customers, ranging from car maintenance, car service, spray painting, body armouring service, window glass fortification, and car wraps to CNG conversion for vehicles, among others.

In his remarks during the commissioning of the Centre, the COAS expressed delight that the Nigerian Army (NA) is part of the pilot CNG conversion project. He stated that the Presidential CNG Initiative (Pi-CNG) team has assisted the NA in converting an initial set of 30 vehicles to CNG, with another 70 vehicles currently undergoing conversion by Pi-CNG.

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The COAS noted that the army understands the Presidential CNG Initiative as a component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s palliative intervention, aimed at lowering transportation costs for the populace by powering mass transit and industries with cheaper, cleaner, safer, and more reliable locally produced natural gas.

“Therefore, with CNG, the NA is lowering its operating costs substantially compared to running our vehicles on other fuels,” he stressed.

General Lagbaja stated that the Centre will promote CNG use in Abuja and provide jobs and skills to unemployed young Nigerians. He assured that CNG is safe, easy to install, durable, cost-effective, and reliable, as the NA has tested it and is ready to establish its own conversion centres to handle the conversion of sensitive operational vehicles.

While expressing hope to collaborate with providers of similar services, the COAS congratulated Luftreiber Automobile for achieving this milestone in its business endeavours.

Earlier, the Managing Director of the Centre, Mr. Junaid Raza, disclosed that the Centre was established from a clear understanding of the challenges many vehicle owners in Nigeria face daily.

He explained that the company had identified the need for a reliable, comprehensive solution that addresses the diverse automotive needs of the populace.

Raza added that with the CNG conversion Centre, it will contribute to addressing issues of high fuel costs and scarcity, as well as providing an environmentally friendly energy solution.

The company’s chairman, Dr. Bright Ochefu, in his remarks, guaranteed the company’s commitment to delivering quality services to its customers.

Present at the event were the former Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory, Benneth Igwe, among other dignitaries.

The Federal Government is at the forefront of promoting Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles through various initiatives. One such initiative is the release of guidelines for converting petrol-powered vehicles to CNG-powered vehicles, ensuring safety and driver confidence.

The government is also rolling out CNG buses. Additionally, a conversion incentive program is in the works to make CNG conversion more accessible.