Auto Stakeholder Canvasses Investment In Natural Gas, Says Product To Form 26% Of Energy By 2040
Nigerians have been advised to invest in natural gas-powered vehicles in order to improve the green revolution and save more costs.
Mr. Chinedu Oguegbu, the Chief Executive Officer of OMAA, at a capacity building workshop organised by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association’s (NAJA), recently in Lagos said that Nigeria would benefit immensely from the migration to gas-powered vehicles.
According to him, natural gas would form about 26 per cent of the energy mix by 2040, stressing that its importance could not be underestimated.
He decried that transportation currently accounts for 15 per cent of carbon emission, pointing that vehicles represented a major part of the figure.
He said: “Government policies and technological advancements have led to focus on increasing the output of electric vehicles (EVs) and natural gas vehicles (NGVs). Transportation currently accounts for 15 per cent of carbon emissions and vehicles represent a major part of this figure.
“With Nigeria committing to the Paris Agreement to reduce the rate of climate change globally, there is an increased push by the government to promote more environmentally-friendly vehicles: EVs, NGVs and hydrogen.”
Oguegbu emphasised that the advantages of using natural gas included up to 60 per cent savings in the cost of fuel relative to other options like diesel and petrol, and another 90 per cent reduction in knocks and carbon emission for a healthier, cleaner and more environmentally-friendly fuel alternative.
He added that another opportunity lies in the development of export businesses with other African markets and said the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by the continent’s governments would propel this.
According to Oguegbu, mass education of the public, as well as consistent government policy, is also required in order to promote investments in natural gas vehicle assembly and production in Nigeria.
He pointed out that OMAA remained one of the pioneers in this field of local assembly of gas-powered vehicles.
From its facility in Igbo Ukwu, Anambra State, OMAA he emphasised provides sustainable energy and mobility solutions to address today’s environmental challenges, while empowering people to create rugged solutions that are relevant to their local economy.
The company he stated launched the first local assembled, dual-fuel, natural gas-powered commercial buses in Nigeria earlier in the year.
Source: Independentng.com
