Nine months after President Bola Tinubu directed that all future vehicle, power generating sets, or tricycle acquisitions by the government and its agencies must use either compressed natural gas (CNG), solar power, or electric energy sources, they are yet to comply with the directive.

In May last year, former presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said the president’s directive was part of Nigeria’s moves to transition to cleaner energy because CNG-powered vehicles produce lower emissions and are affordable.

The government’s push for CNG-powered vehicles followed the removal of fuel subsidy by the president during his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

LEADERSHIP Weekend investigation revealed that nine months after the presidential order, many federal officials and vehicles of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have not made the switch.

Some senior civil servants, who spoke with our correspondents, cited numerous challenges associated with the transition, particularly the cost and logistical implications of converting official vehicles to CNG.
One of them in the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs said, “While the policy is commendable, the reality is that many MDAs are still grappling with budget constraints. The initial cost of conversion and the necessary infrastructure are significant.”

He said with the lack of CNG fuelling stations available in the FCT and the entire Nigeria, it would be very difficult to actualise a complete conversion to CNG.

The official said that without a clear action plan and government’ commitment, the policy may falter.

“It is crucial for government officials to lead by example. If senior members of staff are not converting their vehicles, it raises questions about the seriousness of this initiative,” he said.

Although, it was reported that the government had outlined plans for phased implementation, starting with pilot programmes in selected ministries.

Despite these assurances, the scepticism remains palpable among civil servants who feel pressed to allocate budgets toward urgent operational needs instead of the transition to CNG.
Another senior civil servant in the FCT Transport Secretariat who preferred anonymity said, “The uncertainty surrounding our budgets dissuades us from making such investments. We need clear directives and adequate funding to support this transition.

“As the government navigates its CNG adoption policy, the commitment from federal officials to convert their vehicles will be critical in setting a precedent.

“We are at a pivotal moment in promoting sustainable energy solutions. The success of this policy hinges on genuine leadership and a commitment to immediate action,” he said.
In Katsina State, the authorities are yet to announce concrete steps to convert government-owned vehicles to CNG.

While progress on CNG conversion remains unclear, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has taken a different approach to promoting green energy in the transport sector. In January 2025, the state government launched a pilot phase of solar-powered electric tricycles, an initiative aimed at reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Manufactured by the indigenous company IRS, these solar-powered tricycles are equipped with 450-watt solar panels and battery storage systems, allowing them to travel up to 150 kilometres per charge while carrying a maximum load of 300 kilogrammes.

The silent, emission-free vehicles are expected to provide an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative for commercial transport operators in the state.

In Enugu State, officials of the state government have not started using CNGvehicles.
But the state government has commenced the process of transitioning from the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to CNG to reduce cost of transportation for commuters and state officials.

The Commissioner for Transport, Dr Obi Ozor, made the disclosure while briefing journalists late last year on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Enugu on Friday.

Our investigations revealed that already, those interested in the conversion of their vehicles from petrol to CNG are registering at the Ministry of Transportation.

Civil servants in Gombe State have expressed frustration over their inability to convert their vehicles to run on CNG, citing the absence of conversion centres in the state.

Aside from personal vehicles, vehicles in the pool of MDAs have not converted their vehicles to CNG due to increasing financial expenditures on them.

Even government media stations in the state such as GMC Radio, GMC TV and the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) which rely heavily on vehicles for daily coverage of events and official operations, have not converted to CNG.

This has raised questions about the government’s commitment to promoting alternative fuel sources.

Also, no state officials, senior civil servants, lawmakers and appointees nor official vehicles of MDAs have been converted to CNG to reduce the cost of governance in Delta State.

The reason is that such conversion has not taken off in the state.

Findings from the Ministry of Transportation confirmed that the state is taking its time to select some specialised firms for the task.

In Nasarawa State, there is no policy pronouncement to convert government’s vehicles to CNG in line with the federal government’s adoption plan.

Checks showed that senior civil servants, lawmakers and appointees have not converted their official vehicles to CNG to reduce the cost of governance as envisaged.

The state government, however, in March 2024, launched mass transit buses as part of the efforts to reduce the high cost of transport fares occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal.

Our correspondent reports that the first set of the buses totalling 10 and wholly Compress Natural Gas Vehicles (CNG) were unveiled in the state on March 21, 2024.

Governor Abdullahi Sule who launched the buses, said they were for inter-local government shuttle, even as he explained that more of such buses would soon arrive in the state.

Major opposition parties in the country have kicked against the Federal Government’s plan to spend N14.3 billion for the procurement of new computers for 20 of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies as highlighted in the 2025 Appropriation Bill.

The criticism comes two weeks after Tinubu presented a N49.7 trillion budget to the joint session of the National Assembly.

An analysis of the appropriation bill reveals that the MDAs will purchase computers with N14, 261,940,152.

The Ministry of Education alone requested N3.9bn while the scrapped Ministry of Sports Development requested N1.1bn to procure new systems.

Some MDAs, such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control sought N202m, while the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation asked for N797m to buy similar electronic gadgets.

The budget proposals labelled under the ‘Purchase of Computers’ section have since been greeted by criticism, with major political parties calling for its rejection.

Commenting on the budget, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, frowned at the demands, saying a considerable number of the consumables and capital projects in the budget were designed to enrich a few persons in government.

Ifoh, who spoke with Sunday TheNigerian on Friday, questioned why the government buys computers every year when they can last for five years.

He said, “A computer can last for at least five years, why buy them every year? Are they used by human beings or animals? Who takes the ones they are trying to phase out after one year? We are not even sure whether there are mechanisms in place to verify whether these electronic gadgets are bought.

“Aside from the computers, I also understand that virtually all the MDAs and the rest are asking for new vehicles. The question is, what are you doing with the ones you have? There has to be a total moratorium on some of these unnecessary demands, including cars and computers. Put those resources into productive investment.

Nigeria’s corruption is endemic and it takes a leadership that knows what it is doing to stop it. You can’t just continue to approve computers every year. It simply shows they are conduits to rip the nation of taxpayers’ money. There is nothing anyone can do until the government begins to assert itself and rid the administration of corruption.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ladipo Johnson shared Ifoh’s sentiment.

According to him, President Tinubu  doesn’t appear as someone genuinely serious about his intention to rein in fiscal indiscipline and get the economy grinding.

He said, “It is not just about revenue generation. Is it only the computer budget we spotted, how about the vehicles and renovations? Is it that they change cars and computers every year or they just can’t maintain them for four years before calling for change?

“These questions bring to the fore the belief that this government is not sincere with Nigerians regarding its reforms. I have studied President Tinubu well from Lagos. He always seems to think that the government is working once revenue is increasing.

“They do not understand how to balance the budget as well as to find equilibrium between revenue generation and the welfare of the people. You don’t kill your people because you want to generate revenue. Again, is the revenue you are generating for the benefit of the people or the lifestyle of people in governance?”

Johnson said the opposition party would continue to ask questions and hold the government accountable.

In a similar development, the Deputy National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Timothy Osadolor, said the 14.3bn computer budget was a reflection of corruption.

“How do you budget N14.3bn again for new computers? Are they using them to see heaven or the future?’ he questioned.