– CNG adoption will ease cost burden on Nigerians
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, is considering the establishment of a tripartite coordination framework involving the bureau, the National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, and the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, PCNGI to accelerate the transition to cleaner, cheaper energy in Nigeria’s public sector.
This was revealed during a courtesy visit by the Program Director and Chief Executive Officer of the PCNGI, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, to the Director General of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, in Abuja.
Adedokun emphasized the need for clear coordination among key agencies to ensure that the government’s transition to Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, is seamless, impactful, and compliant with procurement standards.
“This partnership will empower us to make better-informed procurement decisions for MDAs and ensure alignment with national energy transition goals,” Dr. Adedokun said.
The BPP boss also said that the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, across public institutions would drastically reduce the financial burden on civil servants and ordinary Nigerians, while boosting energy efficiency and national development.
He pledged the BPP’s commitment to collaborate with the Presidential CNG Initiative to support Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy, cut costs in public service delivery, and deepen local content in procurement.
“Compressed Natural Gas adoption in government fleets and public services will ease financial pressure on Nigerians. It’s not just an energy policy, it’s a poverty reduction tool,” Adedokun said.
He emphasized the BPP’s critical role in ensuring value for money in public procurement, warning that failure in procurement practices could cripple key sectors like health, transport, energy, and infrastructure.
“If procurement fails, the nation fails. Our role is central to Mr. President’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy, which promotes indigenous solutions to national challenges,” he added.
Adedokun advocated for special incentives to support public workers in converting their vehicles to CNG and called for proper training of procurement officers tailored to the public sector, stressing professionalism, compliance, and timely service delivery.
In response, the Program Director of the Presidential CNG Initiative, Engr. Oluwagbemi, appreciated the BPP for its openness and affirmed the importance of procurement frameworks to the success of Nigeria’s energy transition.
“As demand for CNG grows, so will the pressure on public procurement systems. We are here to strengthen engagement, and we want the BPP to lead by example by converting its own fleet,” he said.
Oluwagbemi reiterated the PCNGI’s readiness to work hand-in-hand with the BPP to ensure a sustainable and impactful CNG rollout nationwide.
The Presidential CNG Initiative is a flagship programme of the Federal Government aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s shift from petrol to cleaner and more affordable natural gas, in line with global climate goals and domestic energy security.
