The Nigerian Presidency has reassured the public of the safety of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered vehicles recently introduced as an alternative to petrol-powered cars in Nigeria, following Malaysia’s recent announcement to phase out CNG vehicles by 2025.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, addressed the concerns on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, clarifying that Malaysia's decision was based on concerns related to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) rather than CNG. He emphasized that Nigeria’s decision to adopt CNG was informed by its safety and cost-effectiveness.
It was gathered that Malaysia's plan to end the registration and sale of CNG-powered vehicles by July 2025. This announcement was made by Malaysia’s Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke, who cited safety risks associated with aging CNG tanks, which can become hazardous if not replaced within their 15-year lifespan.
Onanuga responded by noting that Malaysia’s issue centers around vehicles converted to use LPG, rather than CNG. “Some clarification on Malaysia’s plan to phase out CNG-powered vehicles: The Malaysian issue relates to the safety of LPG, NOT CNG,” he stated, pointing to the specific risk of vehicle modifications using LPG cylinders.
He further highlighted that Malaysia’s CNG program struggled with low adoption, achieving only a 0.2% conversion rate over 15 years. This contrasted with successful CNG adoption in countries such as India, China, Iran, and Egypt. By comparison, Nigeria’s initiative is already addressing infrastructure needs, including local CNG tank manufacturing, to ensure smooth implementation of the program launched in 2024.
CNG was first introduced in Malaysia in the late 1990s, initially targeting taxis and airport limousines. Nigeria’s own CNG initiative, part of President Tinubu's alternative energy strategy, aims to offer a more affordable and environmentally friendly fuel choice amid rising petrol costs.
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