By Rabiu Sanusi
The Federal Government has launched the Northern Corridor of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Electric Vehicles in Kano State as part of efforts to promote cleaner, affordable, and sustainable transportation across Nigeria.
The event, held at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, attracted top government officials, transport stakeholders, investors, and representatives from several northern states.
Representing Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, described the initiative as a strategic economic intervention designed to reduce transportation costs, strengthen Nigeria’s energy transition, and improve economic stability.
Hadejia said rising transportation costs remain one of the major factors driving inflation and increasing the prices of food items and other essential goods across the country.
“This transition is not just an energy policy; it is an economic strategy aimed at reducing costs and strengthening long-term growth,” he stated.
The Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles, Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, said the programme had moved beyond addressing the immediate effects of fuel subsidy removal to building a long-term transportation ecosystem.
Ahmed disclosed that more than 300 conversion partners had already been onboarded nationwide, including 41 conversion centres in Kano State alone, while over 7,000 Nigerians had been trained under the programme.
According to him, the initiative is guided by the principles of affordability, availability, and acceptability to ensure Nigerians can easily convert their vehicles to gas-powered systems without financial hardship.
“We are guided by three priorities: affordability, availability, and acceptability. Nigerians should be able to convert their vehicles without financial pressure,” he said.
He further revealed that the initiative had already attracted over $2 billion in investment commitments, stressing that Kano remains a strategic commercial and logistics hub for Northern Nigeria.
In his remarks, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf described the initiative as a timely intervention capable of reducing transportation costs and improving the living conditions of millions of Nigerians.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for introducing what he described as a bold and visionary programme aimed at addressing the economic realities facing citizens, particularly in the transport sector.
“Kano has always occupied a strategic position in commerce, transportation, and industry. Any initiative capable of reducing transportation costs and providing affordable alternatives will directly improve the lives of millions of our people,” the governor said.
Yusuf stated that Kano’s historical position as a centre of trade, agriculture, and manufacturing made the state a natural choice for the northern rollout of the programme.
According to him, transportation remains the backbone of Kano’s economy because thousands of vehicles move goods, food items, agricultural produce, and passengers daily within and outside Nigeria through the state.
The governor disclosed that the Kano State Government had already begun collaborating with private investors and the Presidential Initiative to expand gas and electric mobility infrastructure across the state.
He said the administration had provided support to investors through access to land and enabling policies aimed at encouraging long-term investment in the sector.
Yusuf added that several companies, including Greenville LNG, A.A. Rano, Rolling Energy, and others, had already established major gas infrastructure in Kano, while additional investors were showing interest in the state due to its large market and strategic location.
He noted that the initiative would create employment opportunities for young people in areas such as vehicle conversion, technical maintenance, refuelling infrastructure, logistics, and manufacturing.
“Already, many youths in Kano are being trained in vehicle conversion and technical maintenance related to this ecosystem. We believe this sector will open new doors for employment, entrepreneurship, and skills development,” he said.
The governor reaffirmed Kano State’s readiness to continue partnering with the Federal Government and genuine investors to ensure the success of the programme and the growth of the alternative energy transport sector in Nigeria.
