The Federal Government is set to train and certify 300 National Youth Service Corps members as technicians who will help convert vehicles from petrol to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Monitoring and Delivery, Dr Titilope Gbadamosi, disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the CNG Retrofitting Training Programme for corps members at the NYSC FCT Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja.
The programme, according to Gbadamosi, will be implemented across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to equip young Nigerians with practical skills while supporting the country’s transition to CNG.
But what exactly is CNG, and what does converting a vehicle to CNG mean?
Compressed Natural Gas is natural gas that has been compressed and can be used as fuel for vehicles. CNG conversion involves fitting a petrol-powered vehicle with the necessary equipment to enable it to run on CNG, either alongside petrol or as an alternative fuel.
The Federal Government is targeting the conversion of 100,000 vehicles to CNG annually as part of its efforts to promote a cheaper and more sustainable alternative for motorists.
Gbadamosi said the National Automotive and Development Council had committed its technical expertise, certification standards and funding to the programme.
She added that the 300 corps members selected for the initiative would be trained, certified and subsequently attached to different CNG conversion centres across the country.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the training would create employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for corps members beyond their mandatory service year.
He urged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity and use the skills acquired to complement their academic qualifications.
Olawande also encouraged young Nigerians to embrace cheaper and sustainable energy solutions as the country continues to develop its CNG infrastructure.
The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, described the initiative as an example of inter-agency collaboration and part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Nafiu said NYSC was ready to support Nigeria’s energy transition, noting that the scheme had trained more than three million corps members in various skills since 2012.
He said the CNG retrofitting programme would help bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and practical applications while preparing young Nigerians for opportunities in the emerging energy economy.
With 300 corps members set to receive specialised training and work in CNG conversion centres, the initiative is expected to give participating youths practical technical skills while also increasing the number of trained personnel available to support vehicle conversion across the country.
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