At pioneering events in Nigeria’s transportation sector, Greenville LNG, the country’s flagship domestic gas infrastructure development and distribution company, commenced fueling the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s Abuja-Kaduna trains retrofitted with liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines.
Greenville LNG also began fueling Ekeson Transport’s LNG-powered luxury buses in Lagos, marking a significant step in the country’s energy transition.
During the second LNG fueling event at Idu Abuja Railway Station, Greenville LNG conducted a successful test drive of the newly retrofitted trains, which have been equipped with LNG kits by De-Sadel Consortium. The event was attended by key officials from both Greenville LNG and the NRC, including General Manager of LNG-CNG Retailing Gokul Moothedathu and Head of Commercial Amit Singh.
The initiative is part of NRC’s ongoing energy transition to LNG, aiming to enhance the efficiency of train operations and reduce environmental pollution. Both test drives included successful stops at Kubwa in Abuja and Kaduna State, demonstrating the effectiveness of transitioning the NRC’s energy source to LNG.
In a post-event interview, Mr. Samuel Uko highlighted that this conversion aligns with Nigeria’s Gas Initiative Vision, with the potential to cut operational costs by about 70%. This project signifies the beginning of a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership between Greenville LNG and NRC, targeting a transformation in railway transportation across Nigeria.
Meanwhile, at Ekeson Transport’s station in Lagos, the LNG buses were fueled using a mobile LNG dispenser truck, representing the first such occurrence in the West African sub-region. Greenville LNG was represented by Zonal Manager Retail South, Shantanu Mishra, while Engr. Chijioke, Managing Director of Ekeson Transport, was also present.
Earlier in March, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, announced plans to transition NRC locomotives from diesel to LNG and compressed natural gas (CNG) to promote sustainable energy sources and reduce operational costs. The Minister reiterated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to providing efficient and affordable transportation, especially in light of the removal of fuel subsidies.
A team of technical experts had presented a proposal for retrofitting NRC’s locomotives with LNG-CNG technology, which the Minister believes could lead to more effective and cheaper rail services. The Ministerial Committee tasked with evaluating the feasibility of this transition confirmed the technical viability of using LNG-CNG technology for NRC’s locomotives.
Greenville LNG’s Director, Mr. Joseph Oyadoyin, along with the company’s Group Head of Security, Mr. Yusuf Zaiyana, welcomed senior law enforcement officers during a recent familiarization visit to the Greenville LNG Gas Plant in Rumuji. The visit, led by Area Commander ACP Cecy Brown, emphasized the importance of peaceful cooperation between the company and its stakeholders.
During the visit, both parties discussed mutual interests in ensuring security and operational efficiency at the gas plant.
