Speaking at the official unveiling, Minister of State for Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the rollout as a major milestone in the country’s journey toward a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable transport system. Ekpo, represented by his aide, Abel Igheghe, said the project reflects the government’s wider strategy to shift from traditional fuels to cleaner alternatives including CNG, LPG, LNG and electric mobility.
“This gathering is not just a product showcase; it is a statement of intent,” he said. “We will continue to support all initiatives that align with our clean-energy goals. Electric vehicles are the future, and they will create new industries, jobs and opportunities for Nigerians.”
He explained that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources will sustain policies that deepen gas utilisation, enhance technology transfer and guarantee affordable transport options for citizens.
The minister noted that the electric-bus rollout reinforces President Bola Tinubu’s “gas-to-prosperity” agenda, which aims to position gas as Nigeria’s transition fuel while opening pathways for investment in e-mobility infrastructure.
Ekpo added that the electric vehicle revolution represents more than carbon reduction, stressing that it creates opportunities for local manufacturing, battery innovation, charging infrastructure and wider industrial growth.
The minister assured Nigerians that the buses would be deployed immediately and distributed across several states to provide affordable mobility, particularly ahead of the Christmas season.
Executive Chairman of PiCNG, Ismael Ahmed, said the commissioning marks a turning point in the quest to deliver cheaper and cleaner transportation nationwide.
“This is clean, affordable and available energy,” he said. “What matters most is the ordinary Nigerian whose transport costs must be reduced.”
Ahmed disclosed that PiCNG will power EV charging stations with CNG to guarantee reliability, adding that the next phase of operations will expand access to CNG and electric-mobility solutions across the country.
Beginning January 2026, five LCNG and daughter stations will be commissioned in Kano, followed by Kaduna, Gombe, Maiduguri and Katsina. He said the initiative will be backed by structured financing, stable pricing and national awareness campaigns.
He added: “Our mission is unwavering — to build a resilient multi-energy transport ecosystem that reduces transport costs and positions Nigeria as a continental leader in clean mobility.”
Nigeria’s clean-mobility agenda is anchored on the national Energy Transition Plan, which targets net-zero emissions by 2060. The PiCNG programme, launched in 2023, is a major response to subsidy removal and aims to reduce petroleum dependence while easing transport expenses, which account for nearly a quarter of household costs.
The commissioning of 40 electric buses marks the first large-scale deployment under the government’s EV roadmap and signals Nigeria’s ambition to compete within Africa’s rapidly growing electric-mobility market.
