NDDC Trains 500 Youths in Ogbuku on CNG and Auto Gas Conversion

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), announced that the commission has trained roughly 500 youths in the conversion of vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and auto gas.

Ogbuku also highlighted the shift from conventional fossil fuels toward cleaner energy, especially natural gas, as a strategy to generate economic opportunities for the Niger Delta.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by Mr. Ed Ubong, Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Initiative, at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, Ogbuku said the commission is leveraging the region’s abundant natural resources to spur economic growth and sustainable development.

The Managing Director noted that the NDDC’s programmes are consistently aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly through the promotion of gas utilisation and the adoption of CNG.

He explained that training the 500 youths earlier this year is part of efforts to prepare young people in the Niger Delta for emerging opportunities in the gas sector.

“Gas is the future, and the NDDC is ready to embrace initiatives that position the Niger Delta to benefit from the opportunities inherent in the sector,” Ogbuku said.

He observed that federal government gas development programmes will bring extensive economic benefits to the region and assured that the commission would continue discussions with the Decade of Gas Initiative to establish a mutually beneficial partnership.

Ogbuku emphasized that human capital development remains a core component of the commission’s mandate, noting that the NDDC’s interventions extend beyond infrastructure to include skills acquisition, capacity building, and economic empowerment programmes.

Earlier, Mr. Ed Ubong stated that his organisation was eager to collaborate with the NDDC to advance gas development across the Niger Delta.

Ubong described the NDDC as a premier interventionist agency playing a critical role in the development of the Niger Delta, stressing that Nigeria’s quest for economic prosperity would be incomplete without fully harnessing its vast gas resources.

He noted that President Bola Tinubu’s “Gas for Prosperity” agenda aligns with the objectives of the Decade of Gas Initiative, which seeks to expand gas production, improve domestic utilisation, and drive economic growth.

According to him, one of the major priorities is improving electricity generation through increased gas utilisation, with plans to significantly expand the country’s power generation capacity by 2030.

Ubong also highlighted efforts to make Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, more affordable and accessible to Nigerians, noting that dedicated teams were working to address supply and pricing challenges.

He said the organisation was collaborating with relevant regulatory agencies to ensure appropriate pricing mechanisms for both cooking gas and transportation gas, while also promoting investments in gas infrastructure and capacity development.

The Coordinating Director disclosed that President Tinubu had approved a programme to distribute one million gas cylinders annually over a five‑year period, targeting five million beneficiaries by 2030.

Ubong said the programme particularly seeks to empower women by creating a vibrant cooking gas economy in which women play active roles in distribution, retailing, refilling, and other value‑chain activities.

He further revealed that after conducting regional launches across the six geopolitical zones, the Initiative is now moving to state‑level implementation, with Bayelsa State scheduled to benefit from the next phase of the programme.

“By the first week of July, we will commence the distribution of gas cylinders to women in Bayelsa State under the current programme,” he stated.

Ubong emphasised that collaboration with the NDDC would be crucial to the initiative’s success in the Niger Delta and commended the NDDC Managing Director for his commitment to delivering impactful interventions in the region.