Patronise accredited CNG conversion centres, FG warns amid Benin incident

The Federal Government has warned Nigerians to patronise only accredited centres for the conversion of their vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

The FG issued this warning on Thursday in a post shared by the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI) on X following an incident that occurred in Benin City, Edo State.

“The Presidential CNG Initiative notes the unfortunate incident that involved an illegally modified vehicle at a NIPCO CNG Station at Ikpoba Hill in Benin City on Wednesday, October 16, 2024,” the post read. “We also call on all stakeholders to cooperate with the new system of regulation and ensure full compliance.

“Only accredited conversion centres must be patronised, and safe handling of CNG, just like petrol, ensures the safety of all.”

The PCNGI, in the statement, commiserated with those injured in this avoidable incident, while giving thanks that no life was lost.

It also noted that the safe handling of all hydrocarbons is critical to their safe use, adding that a close examination of the cylinder in question in Benin City shows it was welded and modified and not approved to be used for CNG.

According to the statement, the police, regulatory authorities, and management of NIPCO are undertaking a painstaking investigation of the incident, and the PCNGI is also coordinating with them.

It stated that this incident reiterates the impetus of the PCNGI and its partners on the soon-to-be-launched Nigeria Gas Vehicle Monitoring System at the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to tackle any bad actors in the ecosystem that seek to make this safer, cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable source of fueling risky for all.