• Nigeria misses 2025 targets under Presidential CNG Initiative
• About 300 centers, 40 stations built since 2023
• Government aimed for 500 centers, 150 stations

Nigeria has missed key targets under its Presidential CNG Initiative, local press reported Thursday.

According to Nairametrics, roughly 300 conversion centers and just over 40 compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations have been built since the program launched in 2023. The initiative has attracted more than $2 billion in private investment, the outlet reported.

Those figures fall short of the federal government's goals of 500 conversion centers and more than 150 refueling stations to be operational by end-2025. Program director Michael Oluwagbemi reiterated those targets in late January 2026, according to Nairametrics, which did not provide a detailed explanation for the delays.

Some local media outlets have pointed to cost pressures as a contributing factor. Conversion fees can range between 900,000 and 1.6 million nairas, or roughly $670 to $1,191, per vehicle, while station installation costs are also described as high. The CNG segment drew approximately $700 million in investment in 2024, according to government data cited by Agence Ecofin.

Authorities are working on a range of measures to develop the sector, including policy and tax incentives aimed at encouraging private investment. Meanwhile, rising CNG prices since 2023, following the removal of fuel subsidies, have raised concerns among some transport operators.

Abdel-Latif Boureima