President Tinubu’s Push for CNG Conversion and Education Reforms in Nigeria
President Bola Tinubu is driving key reforms in Nigeria’s energy and education sectors, with a focus on promoting compressed natural gas (CNG) and boosting science education.
Conversion of Filling Stations to CNG Outlets
In a bold move to reduce fuel costs and environmental impact, President Tinubu has called for the conversion of petrol filling stations to CNG outlets. Ekperipke Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), disclosed this after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday. The president has emphasized CNG as a cleaner, safer, and cheaper alternative to petrol.
Under this initiative, filling stations across the country will be equipped with CNG conversion kits to enable vehicle owners to switch to the cheaper fuel. Ekpo pointed out that while petrol costs can reach ₦1,000 per litre, CNG is priced at around ₦200 per standard cubic meter, saving consumers significant costs. This is part of a broader presidential committee on CNG to promote the gas as Nigeria taps into its vast natural gas reserves.
PTDF Initiative for Science Textbooks
In a related development, the FEC also approved an initiative by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to print one million science textbooks for secondary schools. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), explained that this initiative aims to address deficiencies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Nigeria.
The textbooks will cover critical subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and computer science, targeting the 104 unity schools, 122 special schools, and other secondary schools in the country. This effort complements an earlier approved program to establish digital and physical libraries in 1,000 secondary schools, aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s technological capacity.
These initiatives reflect President Tinubu’s commitment to harnessing Nigeria’s natural resources for economic development while investing in education to ensure that the nation can compete globally in the fields of technology and engineering.
