The Nigerian Presidency has moved to reassure the public about the safety of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered vehicles, following concerns raised by Malaysia’s announcement to phase out such vehicles by 2025.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, responded to reports on Malaysia’s decision in a post on X on Thursday, dismissing fears about CNG vehicles’ safety in Nigeria.
Earlier reports from PUNCH Online revealed that the Malaysian government intends to phase out CNG vehicles and cease the sale of natural gas vehicles by July 2025. Malaysia’s Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke, explained that this move was driven by concerns over the safety of ageing CNG tanks, which, after 15 years, could pose safety risks if not replaced.
He stated, “These NGV tanks have a safe usage lifespan of approximately 15 years, and if they are not replaced, they become unsafe to use and may fail at any time.”
However, Onanuga clarified that Malaysia’s policy was aimed at addressing safety issues related to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), not CNG. He emphasized that Nigeria’s choice of CNG was based on its safety and cost-efficiency, with plans already in motion to establish domestic tank manufacturing capacity.
In his post, Onanuga explained: “The Malaysian issue relates to the safety of LPG, NOT CNG. Transport Minister Anthony Loke specifically stated that some vehicles were modified with LPG cylinders, which are dangerous. The NGV category covers both CNG and LPG, but Nigeria’s adoption is focused solely on CNG due to the safety and cost concerns surrounding LPG.”
Onanuga further highlighted the contrast between Malaysia’s experience with CNG and that of other countries. “Malaysia’s CNG program struggled, achieving only a 0.2% conversion rate over 15 years, while countries like India, China, Iran, and Egypt have seen much greater success,” he noted.
Additionally, he pointed out that Malaysia faced challenges in replacing outdated CNG tanks due to limited manufacturing capacity, whereas Nigeria, in its first year of CNG adoption, is already addressing this issue.
While Malaysia introduced CNG for taxis and airport limousines in the late 1990s, Nigeria began its own CNG initiative in 2024 as part of a broader strategy to transition to alternative fuels for transportation.
