The Presidential CNG Initiative has denied ordering recent pump price hikes, blaming private operators instead.
Officials insist CNG remains cheaper than petrol and diesel, despite rising costs at fueling stations nationwide.
The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) has dismissed claims that the Federal Government ordered an increase in the pump price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), insisting that the adjustments were decisions made solely by private operators.
Matilda Johnson, PCNGI’s Brands and Corporate Communications Manager, clarified the matter in Abuja on Thursday following widespread reports alleging that government directives had influenced the recent surge in prices. She stressed that no policy has been issued to alter CNG pump rates nationwide.
“The recent pump price adjustments announced by certain operators were purely private-sector decisions and not the outcome of any government directive or policy,” Johnson said in a statement released to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
CNG, initially sold at around ₦230 per Standard Cubic Metre (SCM), has seen price increases of up to ₦380–₦400 in some locations. Despite the hike, Johnson maintained that CNG remains a cleaner and more cost-effective alternative to petrol and diesel, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of expanding the country’s CNG mobility market.
She also disclosed that nearly $1 billion in private investments had been attracted to the sector, a sign of growing confidence in its potential. According to her, the government’s role is to facilitate adoption and ensure affordability, while pricing matters are handled by relevant regulatory bodies.
