CNG Crisis: Motorists Lament Endless Queues

CNG Crisis: Motorists Lament Endless Queues, Says We Borrowed to Convert, Now We Sleep at Filling Stations Motorists who switched to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to escape soaring petrol prices are increasingly battling long queues, limited refuelling stations and unreliable gas availability, with some forced to spend several hours or even overnight at filling stations to access the cheaper alternative. For many commercial drivers, what was introduced as a major relief from rising transportation costs has become another source of frustration, lost income and mounting operational difficulties. Debo Adeoti, a commercial bus driver who borrowed N1m to convert his vehicle to CNG, said his expectations of cheaper and easier transportation operations had been shattered by difficulties accessing the fuel. Instead of enjoying the promised savings, Adeoti said he sometimes sleeps at filling stations while waiting for his turn to refill his vehicle. “They said we should convert to gas; we have converted, and now to get the gas is a problem,” he told Saturday PUNCH. He disclosed that he occasionally travels to a CNG station in Magboro, Ogun State, where he spends the night waiting to purchase the product. “Sometimes I will go to one filling station at Magboro, and I will sleep there. Go there, you will see for yourself. Before you get it, you will wait for a long time,” he lamented. The development has exposed a major challenge in the Federal Government's CNG transition programme: while motorists are being encouraged to abandon petrol for cheaper natural gas, the country's refuelling infrastructure appears to be struggling to keep pace with growing demand. President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023, prompting the establishment of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative to promote cheaper alternative fuel and cushion the impact of rising transportation costs. In June 2024, the Federal Government introduced conversion incentives, offering to cover 50 per cent of vehicle conversion costs, estimated at between N600,000 and N750,000. Free CNG conversions for commercial vehicles subsequently commenced in Abuja and Lagos in July 2024. CNG remains significantly cheaper than petrol, with estimates putting its cost advantage at between 70 and 75 per cent. However, motorists in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states told Saturday PUNCH that the benefits of switching to gas were increasingly being undermined by long queues, insufficient refuelling facilities and difficulties accessing supplies. At some stations, drivers reportedly spend between two and four hours waiting to refill their vehicles, while others travel several kilometres in search of available gas. For commercial operators whose earnings depend on daily trips, the delays translate into lost working hours and reduced income. Akande, who converted his vehicle about six months ago through a Federal Government-supported programme, said the affordability of CNG was no longer enough to compensate for the difficulties associated with accessing it. “Actually, the CNG is okay, but the availability and accessibility are the major problem,” he added. The problem is particularly concerning for motorists who borrowed money or exhausted their savings to convert their vehicles, expecting to recover their investments through reduced fuel expenditure. Conversion costs currently range from hundreds of thousands of naira to about N1.39m, depending on the vehicle's engine capacity and the conversion system installed. Despite the financial commitment, motorists insist that CNG remains significantly cheaper than petrol. A tricycle operator, Michael Awosika, said he could complete six trips along the Apata-Mokola route in Ibadan with approximately N2,700 worth of CNG, compared with as much as N15,000 in petrol. Another driver, Idowu Olaide, said his daily fuel expenditure had dropped from about N50,000 on petrol to between N10,000 and N20,000 on CNG. Interstate transporter Kayode Ojo also disclosed that the cost of travelling from Ibadan to Lagos had fallen from approximately N30,000 in petrol to about N7,000 in CNG. However, he said the savings came at the expense of hours spent searching for fuel. “It is much cheaper, but the problem is the trouble we go through to buy it. Government should do something about it,” he said. Investigations by Saturday PUNCH across Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states revealed significant queues at several CNG refuelling stations, with dozens of commercial and private vehicles waiting for gas. At an IOGC station in Ojota, Lagos, about 30 vehicles were observed waiting at approximately 2pm on October 17, with the queue still visible three hours later. More than 50 vehicles were also seen at NIPCO Gas station in Magboro, Ogun State, while over 20 private vehicles remained at a FuelBuddy station in the same area as late as 8.30pm. In Ibadan, more than 30 vehicles were observed waiting at the NNPCL station around Agodi Gate, with the queue extending into the evening. Motorists said the limited number of refuelling stations was forcing vehicle owners to travel long distances, sometimes crossing communities, to access CNG. A surveyor, Lukman Rasheed, who lives in Egbeda, Ibadan, said he frequently travels to different parts of the city to refill his vehicle. “I live in Egbeda. Sometimes I may go to Bovas at Airport, here (NNPCL-Gate), or another station at Toll Gate,” he said. He added that he had previously visited the Agodi Gate station in the morning but was unable to purchase gas because the facility was awaiting fresh supplies. “If, aside from Bovas, we have other options in the Egbeda area, I won't bother coming here. Many people who are here are not from this area,” he said. Another motorist, Seun Bamgbopa, who lives in Lagos, said CNG availability in Ibadan was comparatively better, highlighting the uneven distribution of refuelling facilities. At the Agodi Gate station, tricycle rider Olayinka Olatinwo also lamented that the time spent waiting for gas was affecting his ability to earn a living. “I have been here for the past two hours. As we are queuing here, that is how we will queue at Toll Gate. The time we are supposed to be working, we will be in the queue,” he said. Meanwhile, a check of the Presidential CNG Initiative's website showed that 105 certified CNG refuelling stations were listed across 24 states and the six geopolitical zones, including the Federal Capital Territory. The figure has raised questions about whether the existing infrastructure is sufficient to support the growing number of motorists adopting CNG. However, some industry operators have attributed the queues primarily to the inadequate number of stations rather than a general shortage of gas. The Assistant General Manager of NIPCO Group, Lawal Taofeek, said the company's station ordinarily served between 80 and 100 vehicles daily, depending on operating hours. He maintained that the facility had sufficient gas supplies and that expanding the refuelling network would significantly reduce waiting times. “I believe when there are more stations, the queue will reduce,” he said. Similarly, a receptionist at IOGC apologised to motorists who had encountered situations where gas was unavailable, attributing such incidents to temporary supply depletion while stations awaited replenishment. NNPC Limited also blamed the persistent queues on increasing demand and the limited number of operational facilities. The company's spokesperson, Andy Odeh, disclosed that NNPC Gas Marketing Limited operates one CNG mother station at Ilasamaja, Lagos, and jointly operates another with NIPCO at Ibafo, Ogun State. He said additional facilities were being developed at Lekki, Lagos, and Ososa, Ogun State, while the company was engaging third-party operators to strengthen supply. However, Odeh disclosed that NNPC Gas Marketing Limited currently had no CNG operations in Oyo State. Responding to the concerns, the Head of Brand and Communications at the Presidential CNG Initiative, Onyekachi Eke, acknowledged the challenges facing motorists, saying the government was working to expand refuelling capacity and improve the reliability of existing infrastructure. He said several new facilities were undergoing licensing, installation and commissioning, with the Federal Government collaborating with the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, state governments and private-sector operators. Eke also acknowledged the economic consequences of long queues for commercial drivers. “We understand that for a commercial driver, time spent in a queue is also lost income. So, increasing the number, capacity and geographical spread of refuelling facilities remains one of the Initiative's major priorities,” he said. On concerns surrounding the cost of converting vehicles and whether the government-supported programme had been discontinued, Eke explained that the initial free conversion scheme ended in July/August 2025 after operating for approximately 15 months across 16 states. However, he insisted that government support for CNG conversion had not ended. According to him, the second phase, known as Pi-CNG 2.0, commenced in March 2026, introducing subsidised conversion kits, discounted installations and financing arrangements. He said partnerships with Moniepoint and CREDICORP were providing financing options designed to spread conversion costs over time. “What ended was that particular phase of free conversions; the Federal Government's support for CNG conversion did not end,” he stated. Eke, however, said the initiative could not provide specific estimates of vehicles converted or operational refuelling stations in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, explaining that motorists were accessing conversion services through both government-supported programmes and independent accredited centres. On when motorists should expect relief from the persistent queues, he expressed optimism that the situation would improve as additional facilities become operational. “Our position remains that the pressure being experienced at some existing CNG stations should reduce significantly as additional refuelling infrastructure comes on stream,” he said. For motorists who embraced CNG in the hope of escaping the financial burden of expensive petrol, the expectation remains straightforward: cheaper fuel should not come at the cost of spending half a working day or an entire night at a filling station. <a rel=ugc href="https://reubenabati.com/feature/cng-crisis-motorists-lament-endless-queues-says-we-borrowed-to-convert-now-we-sleep-at-filling-stations">https://reubenabati.com/feature/cng-crisis-motorists-lament-endless-queues-says-we-borrowed-to-convert-now-we-sleep-at-filling-stations</a>

CNG Crisis: Motorists Lament Endless Queues

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