(Ecofin Agency) - Equatorial Guinea has launched a new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) plant which will power a number of public buses.

This facility was officially unveiled by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the Minister of Mines, Industry and Energy Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, and executives of the national gas company Sonagas on January 26, 2016.

Situated close to the Punta Europa gas complex to the west of Malabo, the plant includes a bus terminal, a group of gas-powered bus, cooking gas bottling facility, and upgraded road infrastructure.

“Equatorial Guinea has plentiful natural gas reserves, and it is our goal to provide access to this domestic resource to our citizens. With the introduction of pioneering compressed natural gas infrastructure, we can now offer clean, cost effective gas-powered public transport to the residents of Malabo and Bata,” the Minister of Mines, Industry and Energy Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima said.

According to Petroleum Africa, the facility is regarded as a key factor in the government’s Horizon 2020 economic development plan. It provides the country with the opportunity to develop and export technological expertise in the new industry and also provide gas to nearby countries.

Anita Fatunji