Automobiles Petrol-to-Gas Conversion to be Cheaper -Says FG

The Federal Government has said it plans to make the cost of converting automobiles that are using petrol to gas affordable.

Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, explained that this was part of efforts to improve autogas adoption in Nigeria and better manage the effects of rising petrol cost.

An official of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources with knowledge of the project said the cost to covert a single vehicle from petrol to gas would be between N190,000 to N250,000 depending on the type of vehicle.

“This cost is for a four-cylinder. And this could go a little higher for a six-cylinder. The good thing is that it makes the car owner save running cost by 40 to 45 per cent than that of petrol,” Sylva’s Technical Assistant, Gas Business and Policy, Justice Derefaka, explained.

Sylva, who spoke during an autogas dispensing station and conversion inspection exercise at the NNPC autogas dispensing facility Jahi and Autolady Garage in Abuja, pledged that the federal government would ensure the conversion process is affordable and easy for Nigerians.

He noted that some government official vehicles were been converted at the two conversion centres inspected.

He said, “Nigerians can be rest assured of the government’s commitment to providing a cheaper and cleaner alternative to PMS, as prices have been on an upward climb in recent months following the deregulation of the downstream sector.

“Aside from the fact that autogas is cheaper, we are also concerned about making the conversion of cars affordable so that Nigerians can indeed reap the advantage of this new policy.”

He added that some filling stations have started including autogas dispensers to their stations.

He, therefore, urged the nation to embrace autogas as gas powered automobiles were more affordable and environmentally friendly than any other fuel available in the market today.