The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has said the presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative, which aims to transform the lives of 25,000 Nigerian auto technicians, as a game-changer for the country’s auto industry.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said the presidential CNG initiative is aimed at revolutionising the country’s transport sector with cleaner energy.
Speaking at a stakeholder event hosted by the presidential CNG initiative and factory assembly tour in Lagos, Onyejeocha described the initiative as a “beacon of hope and one set out to revolutionise the nation’s transport sector and to create opportunities for economic growth and citizens’ employment.”
The event is coming days after President Bola Tinubu mandated all government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to begin the procurement of CNG-powered vehicles.
The Minister commended the initiative’s commitment to upskilling and training 25,000 auto technicians, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the Presidential CNG Initiative and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
She said the Ministry will not only serve as the custodian of labour data, ensuring that every job created and every skill imparted contributes to empowerment and progress but also deploy proper metrics to track the jobs created by the initiative, bringing together artisan associations and unions to achieve the 25,000 technician target.
Onyejeocha said, “The initiative aims to introduce 11,500 new CNG-enabled vehicles and provide 55,000 CNG conversion kits for existing vehicles, stimulating economic growth, creating employment opportunities and promoting a cleaner environment.
“With a projected $2.5 billion investment by 2027, the presidential CNG initiative is poised to drive Nigeria towards a sustainable and prosperous future, where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive.
“In this journey towards a sustainable and prosperous future, collaboration is key. I am proud to highlight the collaboration between the presidential CNG initiative and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“Furthermore, I want to emphasise the role of the Labour Ministry in bringing together artisan associations and unions. These associations and unions are the backbone of our workforce and by uniting them, we can amplify our efforts towards achieving the 25,000 technician target set forth by the presidential CNG initiative
“Our ministry serves as the custodian of labour data, ensuring that every job created, every skill imparted, is not just a statistic but a step towards empowerment and progress.
“Moreover, I want to address a fundamental issue that often plagues government-led initiatives – the lack of proper metrics to measure their impact. Historically, governments have been involved in numerous job creation programmes, yet the true extent of their success is often overshadowed by inadequate measurement and reporting.”
The minister further expressed confidence that under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, the government is committed to a paradigm shift.
She said, “We recognise the importance of accountability and transparency in governance. That is why we are determined to not only create meaningful change but also to showcase our achievements with pride.
“As we embark on this journey together, it is imperative that we keep proper track of the jobs our programmes created. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is committed to this task, ensuring that the impact of initiatives like the presidential CNG initiative is not just measured in numbers but in the lives transformed.”
