Gov. Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State on Wednesday in Abuja met with a delegation from Greenville CNG/LNG to seal plans for the establishment of a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) hub in the state.
The delegation, led by the company’s Chairman, Mr. Eddy van den Broeke, included the Managing Director, Ms. Ritu Sahajwalla, and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mutiu Sommonu.
The project, according to officials, is designed to provide cleaner, safer and more affordable fuel options for both transportation and industrial uses. It will feature Liquefied to Compressed Natural Gas (LCNG) refill stations, CNG-powered vehicles and conversion centres for motorists.
Yahaya said the state government had already allocated land and approved engineering designs for the project.
“We are committed to leveraging natural gas to make transportation more affordable, reduce environmental pollution and stimulate industrial growth in our region,” he said.
Van den Broeke noted that the absence of gas pipelines in northern Nigeria had long hindered access to affordable clean energy. He said Greenville would bridge the gap by trucking LNG from the south to Gombe, where it would be regasified and distributed as CNG.
He commended Yahaya’s leadership and described Gombe as strategically located to serve as a regional hub.
The CNG hub is expected to reduce transportation costs and emissions by promoting the use of cheaper, eco-friendly fuel alternatives for vehicles, including public transport systems and tricycles.
Officials said the next phase involves mobilising equipment to site, completing technical documentation and preparing for the groundbreaking ceremony.
Earlier, Greenville Director, Alhaji Yusuf Zaiyana, led a technical team to inspect the four hectares of land allocated for the project. He said Greenville planned to invest more than $2 million in the CNG and LCNG projects.
Upon completion, the hub is expected to serve Gombe, the North-East and parts of the North-West, creating jobs, lowering energy costs and promoting a cleaner environment.
