Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched a fleet of compressed natural gas and electric vehicles in Kano State, marking the first phase of a northern expansion of the federal government’s cleaner transportation initiative and extending what the administration described as affordable and sustainable mobility options to Nigeria’s most populous city.
The launch included 15 CNG-powered vehicles comprising 10 fully CNG units and five dual-fuel vehicles capable of running on both petrol and gas, seven electric vehicles, and 200 CNG-powered tricycles for mass transit. Shettima, represented at the event by Deputy Chief of Staff Senator Hassan Hadejia, commended Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for creating an enabling environment ahead of the rollout.
Executive Chairman of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Barrister Ismael Ahmed, said President Tinubu was committed to providing cheaper and sustainable energy alternatives in recognition of the economic burden created by the removal of the fuel subsidy, and disclosed plans to establish CNG stations across all senatorial districts in Kano to ensure widespread access.
Governor Yusuf reaffirmed Kano State’s readiness to collaborate with the federal government and private investors to strengthen the transportation and energy sectors, and said the initiative would significantly reduce transportation costs for residents. Representatives of Jigawa and Katsina state governors called for the swift extension of the CNG program to their states, saying it would lower transportation expenses and accelerate economic development across the region.
