SON Releases 80 Newly Approved Standards For Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles Initiative

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has officially released 80 approved standards for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for road vehicles and related appliances to the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI).

The standards were released by the Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke to the Programme Director/Chief Executive of the PCNGI, Michael Oluwagbemi on Monday in Abuja.

The release marks the beginning of the journey towards safer, more reliable, cheaper, environmentally sustainable, and most importantly alternative fuel utilization across our nation for road vehicles and other CNG-related appliances.

Speaking at the event, the SON DG said the move is in line with SON’s commitment to excellence and innovation in line with international best practices.

This, he noted, culminated in developing and approving these standards, representing a significant milestone in the agency’s efforts to promote safety and quality in the energy sector.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a clean and efficient alternative to traditional fuels, with applications ranging from transportation to industrial processes.

However, its safe and effective utilization requires adherence to rigorous standards that address production, storage, transportation, and utilization.

He said the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI) is a component of the palliative intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and one of the many steps the president has taken to ensure every Nigerian enjoys his Renewed Hope Agenda.

PCNGI was inaugurated and quickly set up a committee comprising relevant regulatory agencies such as, the National Mid-Stream Down-stream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Ministry of Finance Incorporation (MOFI) and other key stakeholders.

Every regulatory agency was given responsibility within its framework and tasked to quickly deliver hope to Nigerians by ensuring that Nigeria is ready to include CNG as an alternative fuel for vehicle propulsion.

The SON DG said the 80 Standards and Guidelines for CNG road vehicles and related appliances has already been approved by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite.

He said, “The 80 standards encompass a wide range of technical specifications and requirements, including CNG Conversion kit, Standards for electrical connections and vehicle Diagnostics, Standards for Road worthiness and Vehicle safety, Standards for CNG storage Vessels, Standards for CNG refuelling Stations, and Guideline for installation of specific components to support the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) for Vehicle propulsion.

“The development of these standards was a collaborative effort, bringing together industry experts, regulators, and stakeholders from across the country. Adhering to these standards offers numerous benefits.”

Some of the benefits are enhanced safety for consumers, workers, and the environment, improved reliability and efficiency in CNG operations among others.

“As we release these standards, we call upon all stakeholders to embrace them wholeheartedly and to prioritize their effective implementation.

“By doing so, we can assure that the utilization of CNG meets the highest standards of safety, quality, environmental sustainability and will provide best alternative for fuel utilization.

In his speech at the event, Oluwagbemi commended SON for working hard to ensuring that the 80 standards were developed and approved with speed.
He said, “We want to say that this effort by SON to develop these standards imbibes the vision of the president to make life better for Nigerians. We are impressed by the speed and efficiency of SON to get this done.

“The approval of the 80 standards will get the industry started. With these 80 standards, we have the regulatory standards to start the industry and we hope that it will unlock the investment needed in the sector.”