The Federal Government is ramping up efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) value chain as it explores a strategic partnership with the National Compressed Natural Gas Forum (NCNG-F) to drive capacity development, skills acquisition and indigenous participation in the sector.
The initiative is being championed by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), which is seeking closer collaboration with the NCNG-F under the leadership of its National Chairman, Alhaji Faruk Abdullahi.
The partnership is expected to target critical gaps in Nigeria’s emerging CNG ecosystem, particularly in professional training, technical certification, research and development, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship.
Speaking on the initiative, PTDF Executive Secretary, Prof. Shuaibu Shehu Aliyu, reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to strategic partnerships capable of building a highly skilled Nigerian workforce and deepening indigenous capacity across the energy sector.
Aliyu stressed that PTDF would continue to pursue collaborations that equip Nigerians with the technical expertise required to participate meaningfully in emerging opportunities within the oil and gas industry.
The proposed collaboration with NCNG-F comes amid growing efforts to expand CNG adoption as Nigeria seeks to harness its abundant natural gas resources, strengthen energy security and provide more affordable alternatives within the domestic energy market.
The PTDF boss said the Fund’s focus would extend beyond training to include professional certification, research and development, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, areas considered critical to creating sustainable opportunities from Nigeria’s expanding CNG industry.
With the CNG value chain opening new frontiers in transportation, manufacturing, energy services and technical employment, the Federal Government’s latest move signals a push to ensure that Nigerians are not left on the sidelines as the sector expands.
The proposed partnership is therefore expected to provide a stronger platform for developing homegrown expertise, empowering young Nigerians and positioning indigenous professionals and businesses to seize opportunities emerging from the country’s transition towards greater utilisation of natural gas.
