Four Nigerian leading music icons, comedian and social media influencer — Innocent Ujah Idibia (2Face Idibia), Dauda Adamu Kahutu (Rarara), Waris Olayinka Akinwande (popularly known as Ola of Lagos), Bright Okpocha (Basket Mouth) — are embarking on a fact-finding trip to India to provide Nigerians with a clearer understanding of CNG’s potential.
The trip, organised by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), is to enable the four Nigerians ha e first-hand experience on how one of the world’s largest adopters of CNG, India, has successfully integrated it into everyday life from commercial transportation to domestic and industrial use, amongst others.
Vice Chairman of PCNGi, Toyin Subair, said in a statement in Abuja that the initiative is part of PCNGI’s strategy to promote transparency, spark public conversation and engage Nigerians through key personalities who resonate with diverse audiences.
He said the trip would feature a hands-on exploration of India’s CNG value chain, including visits to conversion centres, refuelling stations, gas distribution centres, cylinder manufacturers and industrial hubs.
“Our goal is to let the people of the country be part of the process of us fully utilizing our number one resource which is Gas. Nigeria cannot afford doubt in this our mission to make the country energy competitive, especially the ones sowed by politics and/or subsidy barons.
“We finally have a President who was bold and courageous enough to take us on this path of economic independence and we must all pursue it together with knowledge of what is possible without fear. I doff my hat to 2Baba, Basketmouth, Ola of Lagos and Rarara for choosing to be the eyes of the people.
“By using trusted voices to show the facts, we’re building confidence in the transition and empowering the public with knowledge.
“India’s success story serves as a practical case study. With tens of millions of vehicles running on CNG for over 15years and a robust infrastructure in place, India demonstrates what a well-planned energy transition can achieve,” he said.
The Senior Special Assistant (Digital/New Media) to President Bola Tinubu and Head of the Presidential Office of Digital Engagement, Otega Ogra, said the trip is not about promoting policies blindly but about showing Nigerians what’s happening on the ground and encouraging them to ask questions, engage with the facts and shape the national energy conversation.