Motorists in Minna, Niger State, protested at the NNPC Mega Station on Sunday over what they described as three months without compressed natural gas, despite spending money to convert their vehicles to the fuel.
The protesters gathered at the station along the Western Bypass and called for supply to resume. They said the shortage had frustrated their plans to cut running costs by switching from petrol to CNG.
Vanguard reported that a faulty component of the station’s dispensing machine had been left unrepaired. The station manager could not be reached for comment, and attendants declined to speak on behalf of management.
One of the motorists, Israel Ogbonnaya, told Vanguard that repeated visits to seek answers had produced no explanation. He said some drivers who converted their vehicles in January had yet to recover their investment through cheaper fuel.
Another motorist, Mohammed Doko Saidu, said he had spent more than N1 million on a conversion but had been unable to obtain gas in Minna. He said he had removed some of the cylinders installed in his car because supply had not resumed.
The motorists called for repairs and regular access to the fuel, with a warning that further protests could draw more affected drivers, including commercial tricycle operators.
Niger State transport ministry director Muhammad Abdullah told Vanguard that the station was an NNPC matter, not the ministry’s. He said the ministry was still working on its own CNG project, which had not yet started.
Sources: Daily Post, Vanguard
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