The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles has renewed its warning against illegal vehicle conversions after a cylinder fitted to a vehicle reportedly exploded during refueling at a CNG station in Abuja.
The incident occurred at a NIPCO filling station along Airport Road.
The initiative said preliminary information indicated that the cylinder installed in the vehicle was not designed or certified for compressed natural gas storage.
No death or injury was recorded, but the agency said the incident demonstrated the risks associated with unapproved equipment and unqualified conversion technicians.
Pi-CNG said the driver had been apprehended and was expected to face legal consequences over the use of an unauthorized cylinder that endangered lives and property.
The initiative warned motorists that a cylinder capable of containing gas should not automatically be treated as suitable for CNG use.
It said cylinders designed for other applications could fail under the high pressures associated with automotive CNG systems.
The agency warned against fabricated, expired, substandard or uncertified cylinders and urged vehicle owners not to cut costs by patronizing unqualified technicians.
Motorists were advised to use only conversion centres accredited by the National Automotive Design and Development Council and components certified by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.
The initiative also asked CNG refueling stations licensed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to verify installations before dispensing gas.
Pi-CNG said rapid expansion of the domestic CNG market made stronger safety enforcement increasingly important.
The programme said it would continue working with standards and regulatory agencies to improve compliance, certification and public awareness throughout the CNG value chain.
