Presidency Defends Nigerian CNG Project as Malaysia Dumps Gas Vehicles Over Safety Concerns

The Nigerian Presidency has robustly defended its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative following Malaysia's decision to phase out Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) due to safety concerns.

The Malaysian government announced that starting July 1, 2025, CNG-powered vehicles will no longer be registered or used in the country.

This decision was primarily driven by safety issues associated with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), as clarified by Loke Siew Fook, Malaysia's Minister of Transport.

Addressing these concerns, Bayo Onanuga, the media aide to President Bola Tinubu, emphasized that Nigeria's approach is distinct from Malaysia's. "The concern raised by the Malaysian government speaks more to the safety of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, and not the safety of CNG," Onanuga stated.

He further explained that Nigeria has adopted CNG exclusively, avoiding LPG due to its valid safety and cost concerns.

Onanuga highlighted the differences in transition strategies, noting that Malaysia's attempt to move away from petrol and diesel was less successful.

"Conversion of 45,000 vehicles in 15 years (less than 0.2%) is not enviable unlike India, China, Iran, and Egypt," he remarked. In contrast, Nigeria is actively developing its tank manufacturing capacity, which is crucial for a sustainable CNG program.