The federal government has ignored Nigeria engineers and professionals to engaged four prominent Nigerian influencers, including music icon 2Face Idibia and lifestyle influencer Ola of Lagos, to explore India’s successful adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG) as part of efforts to transition Nigeria to gas energy.
The initiative, organised by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), also features northern musician Rarara, comedian Basketmouth, and a representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
It aims to provide first-hand insights into India’s CNG value chain, from commercial transportation to industrial applications.
Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant (Digital/New Media) to President Bola Tinubu and head of the Presidential Office of Digital Engagement, confirmed the fact-finding mission.
He explained, “This 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.”
According to Ogra, the influencers will “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.”
He added that the trip is part of a broader strategy to foster transparency and public engagement by leveraging trusted personalities who resonate with diverse audiences.
“The trip 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,” Ogra stated.
“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.”
Toyin Subair, Vice Chairman of PCNGI, lauded the participants for their involvement, saying, “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.”
Subair highlighted India as a model of success, noting 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 influencers, along with representatives of Femadec Energy and Rolling Energy—two Nigerian companies in the CNG value chain—will document their journey in real time, sharing their experiences and insights online to encourage public dialogue.
“This mission is about more than gas; it’s about economic independence and dispelling the doubts sown by politics and subsidy barons,” Ogra remarked.
“We finally have a president who is bold and courageous enough to take us on this path, and we must pursue it together with knowledge of what is possible without fear.”