CNG: The Adverse Effects

[nelson]

When CNG Goes Wrong.

Victims reportedly got burnt beyond recognition, being passengers in an eighteen-sitter bus. That is rather a sad tragedy that occurred somewhere in Nigeria on the 26th of October, 2024.

Speculation from this accident is said to have been caused by the driver converting his vehicle from petrol consumption to Compressed Natural Gas due to the high surge in the price of petrol in the country.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced in 2023 the withdrawal of subsidy support from petrol, a major component that formed a part of economic policy in Nigeria over these years. This takes that money back to spend on critical education and health services, tied to fixing fiscal challenges and promoting economic stability.

This resulted in fuel prices going through the roof astronomically, hence leading to protests and public outcry since it had an immediate impact on transportation costs and generally the cost of living. The move was soon followed by increased emphasis from the government on the need for structural reforms and alternative sources of energy that would cushion the impact of removal of subsidies.

What the administration of Tinubu was doing in return was mitigating measures about the impact of this process on the most vulnerable contingents of the populace, cash transfers, and support programs. It will create a much more viable economic environment in the long run, less dependent on oil revenues.