In a major boost for Nigeria’s clean energy efforts, Dangote Cement Plc has announced an investment of over $280 million in compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure, backing President Bola Tinubu’s initiative to provide affordable and cleaner fuel options for Nigerians.
President Tinubu’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s CNG infrastructure aims to make natural gas a key energy source for transportation, reducing costs and emissions. In line with this, Tinubu has ordered the distribution of one million free CNG conversion kits to help commercial vehicles switch to natural gas.
Speaking on the importance of natural gas for the nation, Tinubu highlighted the need for Nigeria to harness its abundant gas resources. “Utilising natural gas to power Nigeria’s transportation industry is the next way to go,” he stated.
Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest cement producer, has already received its first batch of 1,500 CNG-powered trucks as part of its plans to transition its entire fleet to natural gas. The company expects an additional 1,600 trucks by the end of this year, with the goal of running a mostly CNG-powered fleet by mid-2026.
Arvind Pathak, Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, commented on the milestone, saying, “To facilitate this transformation, we are investing in expanding our CNG fuelling infrastructure, ensuring that our growing fleet has reliable access to CNG as our fuel.” Pathak confirmed that full deployment of CNG trucks is scheduled to begin by early 2025.
Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, added that these efforts align with Nigeria’s climate targets under the Paris Agreement, which aim for net-zero emissions by 2060. “We are optimistic of a remarkable accomplishment by President Bola Tinubu, as he has taken the lead in the nation’s drive towards energy efficiency,” he said.