LAGOS – The recent announcement by the Malaysian government to halt conversion of Petrol using vehicles to CNG in their country, has further thrown up concerns among the motoring public in Nigeria, who are yet to fully accept the idea of switching their vehicles to CNG driven over safety issues.
A random interview with commercial drivers operating the popular Danfo buses on Lagos roads by Daily Independent, reveals that majority of the drivers find the CNG option too dangerous for their commuting system.
A driver who simply called himself Aremu, operating on the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway from Oshodi to Tollgate, said, “We drive this bus from as early as 5am to about 10pm daily, by sometimes two or drivers, putting pressures on the engine, heating up in the process with little period of rest. I’m not sure if a CNG driven engine can withstand such rigor due to its volatility.”
A unit executive of one of the Transport Unions in Agege, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “Why is the success rate of the conversion exercise in Malaysia very low, despite being in place for over 15years? It is because the Malaysian populace is highly educated to know that operating a CNG driven vehicle is far more risky than the conventional petrol driven vehicles in vogue.
Abdulrasheed, who is also a danfo bus driver, plying Oshodi to Mushin, said: “We all know that the cost of the CNG is low now because of the low number of CNG vehicles in Nigeria, the more the number of conversions the higher the price will become..
Engineer Kehinde Adetola of Super Engineers Consortiums Limited, Apapa, said: “although the transition to cleaner energy is praiseworthy, it is important to consider the side effects of this change, stressing that there are disadvantages to switching from petrol to compressed natural gas (CNG). Being aware of these issues is necessary to making well-informed choices on the switch to alternative fuels.
“One of the disadvantages of converting petrol cars to CNG cars is decreased Efficiency and Strength. The possible loss of power and performance when switching from petrol to CNG is a major disadvantage. Compressed natural gas (CNG) has a lower energy density than gasoline. As such, cars powered by CNG may have less horsepower.
“For drivers who value performance, this power loss may be a major problem and have an impact on the whole driving experience. Secondly, when compared to their gasoline-powered equivalents, CNG vehicles frequently have a shorter driving range.
“As a result of its lower energy density, CNG necessitates larger storage tanks. This can take up valuable interior space and decrease the amount of trunk space that is accessible”, he said.
Adetola added: “For drivers, having to stop more frequently for refueling can be annoying, particularly for those on long distance trips with few gas filling stations available on the way. The high Costs of Conversion is also one of the disadvantages of converting petrol cars to CNG cars.
The initial cost of converting a gasoline-powered vehicle to run on compressed natural gas is high. It can be expensive to convert the car with CNG-compatible parts, like a high-pressure tank and fuel system adjustments.” he added.
It would be recall in the course of last week a report went viral with the headline; Malaysia to phase out vehicles powered by CNG, LNG over safety concerns
The report reads Malaysian government has announced plans to phase out the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles and end the sale of natural gas vehicles (NGV) in the country.
Loke Siew Fook, minister of transport, spoke at a press conference recently, according to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), a local media organisation.
Fook said CNG-powered vehicles can no longer be registered or be used in Malaysia from July 1, 2025.
He also said Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), a government-owned oil and gas company, will halt the sale of CNG at its stations in stages, starting on July 1, 2025.
The minister said with only about 44,383 NGVs currently in the country — accounting for 0.2 percent of vehicles in Malaysia, excluding motorcycles — the safety of road users and the public will be restored.
“The NGV tanks of these vehicles are now reaching the end of their service life and need to be replaced and NGV tanks typically have a safe usage period of 15 years,” Fook said.
He further said there are also some car owners who have modified their vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which are very dangerous.
The minister said the vehicles had caused explosions during accidents.
Malaysia introduced the use of compressed natural gas in the late 1990s for taxicabs and airport limousines.
In Nigeria, the federal government is pushing for the adoption of CNG as an alternative fuel for transportation.
The initiative, introduced by President Bola Tinubu as a measure to curb the impact of the removal of petrol subsidy on individuals, “attracted over $200 million in investments so far as the government plans to build 1,000 conversion centres” across the country.
Reacting to the development, Onanuga clarified that Malaysia’s policy was centered on the safety of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), rather than CNG.
Onanuga, also pointed out that Malaysia’s shift away from petrol and diesel had been largely ineffective, with just 0.2% of vehicles converted over 15 years, while Nigeria’s advancements in tank manufacturing capacity set it apart as a key game-changer.
“Some clarification on Malaysia’s plan to phase out CNG-powered vehicles,” Onanuga said in a post on X on Tuesday.
“The Malaysian issue relates to the safety of LPG, NOT CNG. In the original report, Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated, ‘There are also some car owners who have modified their vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which are very dangerous.’
“NGV covers both CNG and LPG. Nigeria, in its transition, has adopted CNG ONLY, not both, due to valid safety and cost concerns regarding LPG.
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