Malaysia’s plan to get rid of natural gas (CNG) vehicles by July 2025 has caused a lot of discussion, especially in places like Nigeria where people see CNG as a safer and cheaper option to gasoline. Malaysia’s Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook changed the rules because he was worried about the safety of cars that run on CNG. The minister talked about how old the NGV (Natural Gas Vehicle) tanks are in the cars. These tanks usually last for 15 years. As these tanks get close to the end of their useful lives, the cost of replacing them has become too high. The Malaysian government has decided that it would be cheaper to stop using CNG-powered cars all together than to keep spending money on replacing these tanks, which is a process that costs a lot.
Nigeria is very upset about this decision because CNG is seen as a key part of the country’s move away from conventional fuels like gasoline and diesel. Nigerian officials, like spokeswoman Onanuga, were quick to make it clear that Malaysia was only worried about Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), not Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The reason Malaysia did what it did was because LPG can be very dangerous and volatile if it is not handled properly, according to Onanuga. In Malaysia, replacing tanks is more important because, despite 15 years of work, only 0.2% of the country’s cars have been converted to CNG. This shows how limited the program is.
The way Nigeria feels is different. Malaysia had a hard time making the switch, but Nigeria has only used CNG because they think it is better and more useful than LPG. The country has also put a lot of money into building its own tank manufacturing facilities, which is seen as an important step toward making sure that CNG can continue to be used as a common fuel option. Onanuga said that Malaysia gave up on its CNG plan because it was too expensive to replace old tanks. However, Nigeria’s plans to create its own tank-making industry would help make sure that CNG vehicles stay a safe and affordable option in the future.
In this way, Nigeria’s focus on CNG is also different from what’s happening around the world. India, China, Iran, and Egypt have all been able to successfully switch to CNG cars as a cleaner and cheaper alternative to gasoline. However, Malaysia’s program failed because it didn’t have the right infrastructure and not many people bought the vehicles. Malaysian CNG tanks have reached the end of their 15-year life span. Because of this, it would be cheaper for the government to end the program than to pay for the expensive process of rebuilding the tanks. This has made people worry about CNG’s long-term usefulness as a fuel in Malaysia, and the move away from it is seen as a failure of the country’s plan to switch to cleaner energy.
Nigeria’s attention on CNG, on the other hand, shows how determined the country is to create a more sustainable and self-sufficient energy system for transportation. In contrast to Malaysia, which had to import the parts it needed to support the use of CNG, Nigeria is putting money into building up its own facilities and manufacturing. People think this is a huge plus for Nigeria as it tries to stop importing fuels like gasoline and oil. Nigeria wants to avoid some of the problems that have made it hard for other countries to switch to alternative fuels. It plans to do this by building its own tank making facilities and focusing on CNG infrastructure.
CNG also has big benefits for the environment and the economy, especially in places like Nigeria where the price of gasoline is a big problem for both people and the government. CNG is usually less expensive than gasoline, which means that both individuals and businesses can save money on their fuel costs. In addition, CNG is better for the environment in the long run because it creates fewer emissions than traditional fossil fuels. Nigeria’s continuing investment in CNG infrastructure isn’t just to keep up with global trends; it’s also to meet the energy needs and challenges of the country as a whole.
Countries all over the world are struggling to move away from gasoline and diesel, which means that the argument over CNG, LPG, and the future of alternative fuels is likely to go on. Nigeria’s focus on CNG is a chance to not only become less reliant on fuel from other countries, but also to make its energy future more stable and long-lasting. Some countries, like Malaysia, are rethinking their commitment to CNG. Nigeria’s method may teach them how to handle the complicated energy transition process well.
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