Nigeria’s government through the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PiCNG) has launched 40 electric-powered buses in a bid to revolutionise public transportation with clean energy.
Speaking at the launch ceremony in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, the Minister of State for Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the rollout as another bold step in Nigeria’s journey towards cleaner, smarter and more sustainable mobility.
“This gathering is not just a product showcase; it is a statement of intent,” Minister Ekpo said.
“We will continue to support initiatives that align with our clean-energy aspirations. Electric vehicles are an important part of the future, and they will create new industries, new jobs and new opportunities for Nigerian innovators.”
Minister Ekpo said the ministry’s focus remains on promoting gas as a transition fuel capable of powering industries, transportation and households.
The minister said, “The EV revolution is not only about reducing carbon emissions, but it is also about creating new industries, new jobs, new investments and new opportunities for Nigerian innovators. With the right policies, Nigeria can become a major hub for EV assembly, battery innovation, charging infrastructure deployment and local content development. This is why collaboration like the one we celebrate today between government innovators and investors, and advocacy groups such as the PICNG, is essential.”
The Executive Chairman of PiCNG, Ismael Ahmed, said the commissioning of the 40 electric buses marks a turning point in achieving Nigeria’s goal of cheaper and cleaner transportation.
“This is clean energy. This is affordable energy. This is available energy,” he said. “What matters is the ordinary Nigerian, the person in Kano, Zanya or Daura whose transportation costs must come down.”
Ahmed said PiCNG would power charging stations with CNG to address concerns about the electricity supply.
“We have sunlight, we have gas, and we will use them to deliver cheaper and cleaner mobility,” he added.
Ahmed said the buses would be deployed sometime this month across several states in the country to offer cheaper transport during the festive season.
PiCNG reaffirmed its partnership with private investors to expand EV charging and CNG infrastructure along major transport corridors nationwide.
One such partnership is the talks with China’s BAIC Motor, to explore the possibility of setting up innovative battery swap services as part of efforts to electrify the country’s transportation sector.
The Initiative also announced the launch of Pi-CNG 2.0, described as the next phase of Nigeria’s clean-mobility transition.
Ahmed said the programme, originally conceived to cushion the impact of fuel-subsidy removal, had evolved into a catalyst for energy transformation.
“From the onset, the mandate was clear: provide relief from rising transport costs, deepen gas utilisation, stimulate jobs and catalyse economic growth,” he said.
The PiCNG programme, launched in 2023, is one of Nigeria’s flagship responses to subsidy removal, aimed at slashing transport costs, which account for up to a quarter of household expenditure, and reducing dependence on petrol.
The commissioning of 40 electric buses marks the first major public rollout under the government’s EV roadmap. It also signals Nigeria’s intent to compete in Africa’s emerging electric-mobility market, driven by rising fuel costs, climate commitments and the need for domestic energy security.