Ismaeel Ahmed said Nigeria is exploring mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) stations to help farmers move away from petrol- and diesel-powered irrigation, BusinessDay reported Nov. 6.
Ahmed chairs Pi-CNG & EV, formally the Presidential CNG Initiative and Electric Vehicles, and is its chief executive officer. He said President Bola Tinubu had authorized the initiative to step up its work, and that the federal government wants to speed development of gas infrastructure nationwide.
Mobile units could serve rural areas where low expected returns may discourage investors from building fixed refueling stations, Ahmed said. He added that conversations with state officials, especially in Northern Nigeria, pointed to interest in CNG uses beyond road transport.
Ahmed identified insufficient gas supplies and delays in obtaining CNG station licenses as obstacles to the program. Ahmed called for quicker handling of CNG station licensing applications by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (known by its acronym NMDPRA), while maintaining safety standards.
Farmers are considering CNG-powered irrigation equipment to replace pumps that run on petrol or diesel, Ahmed said. In Jigawa, the governor told the initiative that more than two million farmers could benefit from cheaper energy for irrigation, according to Ahmed.
Ahmed estimated that mechanical pumps can irrigate about three hectares, while solar models typically cover about one hectare. He said some farmers favor mechanical equipment for its wider reach and operating capacity.
Mobile stations could bring fuel closer to underserved communities, Ahmed said, where limited refueling access has held back adoption. The proposal would extend Nigeria’s CNG push into agriculture, building on a rollout that has focused on vehicles. EconoTimes previously covered Nigeria’s vehicle-conversion drive and refueling constraints.
