Nigerian celebs visit India to explore CNG potential

As conversations around Compressed Natural Gas take centre stage in Nigeria, four leading influencers and cultural icons – Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba; online influencer, Waris Akinwande, Ola of Lagos; northern musician, Dauda Kahutu, Rarara; and comedian, Bright Okpocha, Basketmouth — are embarking on a fact-finding trip to India.

The trip is being organised by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative to provide Nigerians with a clearer understanding of CNG’s potential by experiencing 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, among others.

In a statement on Monday, PCNGI said this initiative was part of its broader strategy to promote transparency, spark public conversation, and engage Nigerians through key personalities who resonate with diverse audiences.

The trip, it was learnt, will 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 utilising our number one resource which is gas. Nigeria cannot afford doubt in 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 the 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,”  the Vice Chairman of PCNGi, Toyin Subair, said.

Subair added that India’s success story serves as a practical case study, stressing that with tens of millions of vehicles running on CNG for over 15 years and a robust infrastructure in place, India demonstrates what a well-planned energy transition can achieve.
“The cultural icons and influencers will document their journey in real time, sharing insights, experiences, and takeaways with their followers online. The trip is supported by Femadec Energy and Rolling Energy-two Nigerian-based companies operating in the CNG value chain with a representative of the largest commercial transportation union in Africa, the  NURTW, joining in on the trip,” the statement disclosed.

The Senior Special Assistant (Digital/New Media) to President Bola Tinubu and Head of the Presidential Office of Digital Engagement, Otega Ogra, posited that “this 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 conservation.”