The Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, announced that the government has started converting railway locomotive engines from diesel to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
Speaking on Monday at the Idu National Railway Station in Abuja, Sa’idu emphasized the government’s aim to significantly cut maintenance costs and promote a cleaner environment by reducing carbon emissions.
“We have come to assess our progress over the past month and consult with the engineers about converting our locomotives from diesel to gas,” he stated. “So far, the process has reached an advanced stage. The engine is set to be test-run, making this the first initiative of its kind in Africa.”
Senator Alkali explained that the engines would operate on 30 percent diesel and 70 percent gas. He noted that the engine starts with diesel but switches to gas for the remainder of the journey once fully engaged.
The Minister also highlighted the goal of reducing maintenance costs by sixty to seventy percent and controlling carbon emissions to mitigate local environmental hazards.
He revealed that the test run would begin on the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor. “This is essential because the nitro fitting workshop, starting on June 11 in Abuja, will facilitate the test run, which can then be expanded to other corridors across the country,” he added
Source: Vanguard