The FCT CNG Users’ Forum has called for stronger collaboration with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG and EV) to address persistent compressed natural gas shortages in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The FCT CNG Users’ Forum is an organised stakeholder group representing vehicle owners and transport operators in the Federal Capital Territory who use compressed natural gas. 

The forum made the call in a communiqué issued after its strategic action meeting on Friday and signed by its interim secretary, Samuel Jesuloluwa.

“The forum is an organised stakeholder group offering practical ideas and a genuine partnership to support the success of the Pi-CNG and EVs initiative,” the communiqué stated.

It said the meeting reviewed challenges facing CNG users and developed proposals for engagement with the leadership of the Pi-CNG and EVs initiative.

The group said persistent CNG shortages have resulted in long queues at filling stations across the FCT, leaving motorists stranded and causing hardship.

The meeting, moderated virtually by the forum’s coordinator, Uzogara Felix, focused on challenges within the CNG ecosystem, partnership opportunities and government interventions needed to improve service delivery.

The forum attributed the lingering scarcity to disruptions in gas supply, diversion of gas trucks to newly established stations in other states and delays caused by traffic congestion along the Lokoja-Kabba road.

It also observed that existing CNG stations in Abuja lacked adequate storage capacity, leading to frequent shortages despite increasing demand.

To address the challenge, the forum recommended establishing additional “mother plants” and standby storage cascades in Abuja to guarantee uninterrupted CNG supply and support 24-hour operations.

It also urged the authorities to fast-track plans for gas pipelines to Abuja and license additional operators with gas processing capacity to boost supply.

On safety and regulation, the forum expressed concern over the alleged importation of expired gas cylinders and called for stricter regulatory oversight to protect users.

It also raised concerns over poor CNG station management, alleging extortion by some attendants and queue-jumping by unauthorised persons.

The forum proposed establishing monitoring and enforcement teams to oversee station operations and ensure compliance with safety and service standards.

It further advocated government-backed incentives to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption, including subsidised vehicle acquisition and flexible payment arrangements.

According to the forum, affordable technical training for mechanics and technicians is also required to strengthen local capacity in EV maintenance and diagnostics.

The forum offered to partner with relevant government agencies by providing end-user feedback, supporting public awareness campaigns on CNG and EV adoption and contributing technical expertise to the energy transition.

It reaffirmed its non-political status, stressing that its engagement with the Pi-CNG and EVs initiative was solely aimed at advancing practical solutions to challenges confronting CNG and EV users.

(NAN)