As part of the efforts of the Federal Government to cushion effects of the increase review of petrol price, it said it would from October begin converting cars and generators of Nigerians to run on gas. 

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, made this known during his appearance on NTA's 'Good Morning Nigeria' on Monday, September 14.

Sylva said the conversion will be done free of Charge for all Nigerians, according to The Punch. 

He noted that cars and generators can run on both gas and petrol (dual fuel).

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Speaking on the importance of the development, the Minister said the usage of gas would reduce carbon emissions as well as the demand for petrol. 

He added that the price of gas will be "cheaper than the subsidised rate of PMS. So, what we are trying to encourage Nigerians to do now is to covert their cars to dual fuel.

Sylva said, “The alternative we are now introducing is gas, which is definitely going to be cheaper than the subsidised rate of PMS. So, what we are trying to encourage Nigerians to do now is to convert their cars to dual fuel.

"That means your car can use either gas or petrol and that will be done for free because the government is going to ensure that you are able to convert your vehicles for free.

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“And when you convert your car for free, you go to the filling station, you see the price of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) you see the price of gas, you can decide to buy LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) or CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), you can decide to buy LNG (Liquefied Natural gas). These are all going to be available and we are going to have a roll out plan for this within October.

“Nigerians will have alternatives. It is like introducing a toll on the roads. When you introduce a tollgate, you are expected and required by law to also create an alternative. So, we are also creating that alternative so that you can go to buy gas.”

He claimed he had test run a pilot project in Benin City where over 10,000 vehicles are already running on gas.

Sylva said the Federal Government had earlier executed a similar scheme with commercial tricycles in Port Harcourt which they converted to gas and was successful. 

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According to the Minister, the scheme would be extended to small capacity generators popularly known as 'I better pass my neighbour'.

He also stated that filling stations owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) would be the first to begin selling gas to vehicles and then other private sector marketers. 

He said, “We are going to convert ‘I better pass my neighbour’. So, you will have a situation where in your house, your gas cylinder will be connected to your generator and cooker. So, you don’t need any other fuel apart from gas to run your generators.

“It will become cheaper and cleaner. Of course, our carbon emissions will actually reduce and we are expecting to gain some money from climate change (sic) for reducing our carbon emission. This is going to be a policy direction that will create a lot of opportunities.”

When asked how Nigeria could benefit from the free initiative, Sylva responded, “Your car should be in a fairly good condition. That is the only condition to be met because if your car is not in a very good condition, I don’t know how it is going to convert. We are already in discussion with the NURTW and they are already very happy."

Sylva had in August directed all Chief Executive Officers and their lieutenants in agencies under the petroleum ministry to convert all their official vehicles to run on gas. 

The Minister said the conversion of vehicles in his ministry and agencies to run on autogas was to demonstrate to Nigerians that the Government was serious with its declaration of 2020 as "the year of gas".