NADDC DG hails Kojo Motors for establishing CNG conversion centre in Owerri

Kojo Motors has partnered the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in setting up the vehicle Compressed Natural Gas conversion centre in Owerri, lmo State.

Director-General of the NADDC, Joseph Osanipin, during an empowerment and awareness summit on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, commended the auto firm for the monumental project.

“Today, we are gathered here for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Empowerment and Awareness Summit 2025 with the theme ‘Building a youth-based nation through cleaner energy’,” he said.

Osanipin said that the the purpose of the summit was to create awareness and sensitize the public to safety, standards and regulation in the use of the CNG as a better alternative source of energy for mobility.

NADDC, he said, was equipping technicians with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to safely and efficiently convert vehicles to run on CNG.

“The Council is a parastatal of the Federal Government under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment,” he added.

“It has the regulatory oversight on the Nigerian Automotive Industry to initiate, recommend, supervise and regulate policies and programmes for locally manufactured vehicles and components in Nigeria.

The NADDC boss noted that the Council had worked tirelessly to ensure the survival and growth of this sector with a view to enhancing its contribution to the national economy.

As part of the CNG conversion programme, 60 technicians will be receiving hands-on training in converting vehicles to run on CNG which would run for five days from the March 17 to 21,2025.

Osanipin emphasized the importance of using certified conversion kits and specialized workshops to ensure safety during the process.

“The cylinders used in CNG vehicles are fortified, making them safer than traditional vehicle fuel tanks,” he said.

Also speaking during the event, Professor Anoka Njan, representative of the Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, praised the NADDC and Kojo Motors efforts, stating that the ministry fully supported the initiative as part of broader efforts to alleviate challenges in the auto industry and empower the youth.

Imo State Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr. Emeka Mandela Ukaegbu, who spoke at the summit on behalf of Governor Hope Uzodinma, emphasised the immense potential of the CNG in easing Nigeria’s transportation challenges and improving the economy.

“CNG offers a safer, cleaner, and cheaper alternative to the hardships many face in the country,” Dr. Madela said.

The administration is partnering with NADDC and automotive industry bodies to establish conversion workshops and CNG refilling stations across Imo State, ensuring that the state plays a key role in this important shift toward greener energy solutions.

The event marks a significant step in NADDC’s ongoing efforts to transform Nigeria’s automotive industry, making it more sustainable while creating new opportunities for skilled technicians and local communities.

Chinedu Oguegbu, Managing Director of OMAA, which is the vehicle brand promoting the petrol-powered to CNG conversion project, highlighted the economic benefits of running vehicles on CNG instead of petrol.

He listed the economic advantages to include savings up to 60 percent in the cost of fuel relative to dirtier options like diesel and petrol.

According to him, there is up to 90 percent reduction in knocks and carbon emission, and it is found to be healthier, cleaner and more environmentally friendly.

Besides savings in foreign exchange (FX) with abundance of gas locally, there is also massive resources in-country over 203 tcf of proven reserves that requires no refining and relatively lower investment for processing.

Nigeria has an estimated 15-20 million vehicles in operation that can be converted to dual-fuel or bi-fuel.

The OMAA boss reiterated the crucial need to provide an alternative to existing fuel system with the abundance of CNG as an option.

Delivering his goodwill message, Chino Ogwumike, the National Sales Manager at Kojo Motors, thanked the DG of NADDC for partnering with Kojo in this laudable project in Owerri, the heartland of the South-East of Nigeria and the government of Imo State for accepting to provide the land for building the CNG hub in the state capital.

Ogwumike stated that the flourishing automotive dealership with branches spread across the country under the visionary leadership of the founder and Executive Chairman, Ikenna Oguegbu, is strongly committed to contributing its quota towards the progress and development of Nigeria’s automotive sector and the economy.

Lanre Shittu Motors offers support for EV bus design competition in universities

Lanre Shittu Motors (LSM) has thrown its weight behind the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC)’s competition of building 8-seater for 12 Nigerian universities.

The universities are spread across all the geo-political zones of the country.

The frontline auto company in Nigeria is a major supporter of the competition which kicked off last week with the commissioning of eight units of EV bus shuttle at the University of Lagos, with representatives from different schools gracing the event.

The competition is expected to last for six months.
Apart from supporting the event, a technical representative of LSM is also part of the jury which is made up of auto industry players, academia and the NADDC.

Commenting on the development, the Managing Director of LSM, Mr. Taiwo Shittu, said, “We as a company like to support and encourage young talents who have interest in the automotive industry.

“It is also our own way of supporting the NADDC initiative of encouraging young brains in the country
“Encouraging and training the youths is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility. Before now, every years, we take in youths into our facility and train them, even while in training, we give them stipends, and we are still doing this.”

The MD added, “We do not stop at training and giving stipends, we also provide basic workshop tools to those we train, and employ some of them.”

The participating universities in the competition are Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Uthman Danfodio University, Sokoto; Modibbo Adama University, Yola; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Abuja; and University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

Others are University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Benin; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife; University of Lagos; and University of Port Harcourt.

At the commissioning event, which was held at the University of Lagos, and witnessed by auto industry operators, academia, top NADDC staff and the press, the Director General of the NADDC, Mr. Joseph Osanipin, stated that the Council would give its full support to the competition, tasking the contenders, made up of students and supported by lecturers from the concerned schools, to come up with practical and workable solutions suitable for the Nigerian environment.

He promised that the NADDC would not stop at the design stage at the end of the competition, but also take steps to involve auto players to develop the final products after the competition.

“Today, I challenge the Nigerian university community to dream big; I challenge you to do even better than our expectations. Let us have a vehicle of our dream. We are going to work with universities, polytechnics and technical schools,” the DG said.

NADDC Director in charge of Vehicle Electrification, Engr. A.N Ayinde, added that the competition would generate ideas and provide students with opportunity to embrace global best practices.

The kick-start of the competition was concluded with the inspection of some environment friendly auto brands such as electric vehicles and compressed natural gas-powered vehicles displayed by LSM.

One of the participants, Senior Vice President, Technical of Oando Clean Energy, Mr. Adeyemi Adebajo, stated that Oando is concerned about the environment and reasoned that environment, economy and society are key in sustainable transportation.

In his submission, a lecturer from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Ozoemena Ani, commended the initiative and pledged the collaboration of the academia.

How to lower fuel consumption of your car

When President Bola Tinubu announced an end to fuel subsidy at the inception of his regime in 2023, many motorists were jolted by the expected impact it would have on the cost of keeping their vehicles on the road.

Many Nigerians were also concerned about the impact it would have on the cost of living, especially the prices of goods, services and transportation.
And their fears were genuine; prices of goods went up astronomically and there were complaints of hardship all over the country.

This led to a swift drop on the sales of big cars, especially Sport Utility Vehicles. Many Nigerians quickly parked these cars in their homes and some immediately put up theirs for sale while others quickly bought smaller cars that they presumed would consume less fuel. They forgot that the rainy season would not be fair to the roads and their new small sedans, especially the bumpers and underneath the cars.

Those living in flood-prone areas like Lekki and some seasonally flooded areas in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states can attest to the advantages of SUVs over sedans from their expenses. With some of these expected challenges, it didn’t take long for the average Nigerian motorist to adjust and live with the negative impacts of the fuel subsidy removal.

Though the challenge persists, coupled with the poor state of the roads across the country, it has been almost impossible for Nigerians to totally do away with their big cars and SUVs which are renowned for higher fuel consumption. It is the classical case of choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.

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Today, Vanguard offers you some tips on how to ensure maximum fuel economy in your vehicles at a time like this. It is clear that by improving your car’s fuel economy, you’re helping to reduce the drain on your wallet. With some simple driving tips and habits, your fuel can take you further. A combination of good driving habits, and proper vehicle maintenance of your car is essential.

The Tips

*When driving, accelerate and brake gently, quick starts and stops waste fuel, but smooth driving boosts your kilometres per litre. Driving at slower speeds leads to better fuel efficiency.

Reducing speed by 10-20 kph can help. Keep a steady speed, you may use your cruise control on motorways because when you drive at a consistent speed, you save fuel.

•Watch the traffic ahead, it will help you predict what other drivers will do or intend to do. This helps you to avoid braking and speeding up.

•Also avoid idling your engine for long periods even when it is stationary as it wastes fuel. Switch off the engine if you need to stop for more than a minute.

•Also limit short journeys, and be aware that cold starts use more fuel.

•As a motorist, ensure that your tyres are appropriately gauged. Soft tyres cause drag and waste fuel. Check pressures often and inflate correctly.

Many drivers don’t know that proper inflation of their car tyres contributes significantly to the fuel economy. Under inflated tyres have a higher rolling resistance on the road. This means that your tyres generate more friction and rolling resistance and will increase fuel consumption.

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If your four tyres are underinflated by 10 psi, this could increase your fuel consumption by 10 per cent. Car manufactures always have the recommended tyre gauge inscribed on the drivers door frame. Gauge your tyre accordingly and reduce your fuel consumption.

•Correct wheel alignment is vital. It reduces tyre wear and drag. This also saves fuel.

•Many motorists carry all sorts of things in their boots which they hardly need and this adds to the weight of the car, this should be avoided. Note that every extra 50kg of load in your car increases fuel consumption by about two to three percent.

Some used cars from abroad come with a heavy bar attached to the rear for pulling boats and other heavy objects from where they have been imported which is hardly needed in this part of the world. It is advised that you remove them to avoid unnecessary weight.

Some people however believe that this serves as protection when another vehicle hits them from behind, unknown to them that they are paying more to fuel their cars. Lighten your load and remove extra weight from the car. Less weight means better fuel economy.

•Also, reduce drag by removing roof racks as they increase wind resistance which wastes fuel.

•Use your air-conditioning system. Driving with an air-conditioner has an advantage to fuel economy but most drivers think otherwise.

Apart from keeping the interior of your car clear of dust and ensuring the safety of the driver from attacks, it also saves fuel. Driving with windows down at a speed faster than 80km/h causes a lot of wind resistance and more fuel consumption. It is more fuel efficient to drive with your air-conditioner on.

•Maintain the right speed. Avoid over speeding and going slowly too.

While both have safety consequences, they also have an impact on your fuel consumption. It has been established that on highways, your engine works hard to overcome wind resistance.

This means that you will burn up to 15 per cent more fuel at 100km/h and 25 per cent more at 110km/h. On the other way round, if you drive at a speed slower than 50km/h your engine would drop to a lower gear thus using up more fuel. It is advised that driving between 50km/h and 90km/h gives optimal fuel efficiency.

•Many people accelerate their cars as if they are running at Formula 1 Race thereby wasting their fuel unknowingly. Avoid revving your accelerator to a high revolution per minute (RPM). Your engine uses less fuel when it is revolving slower at a lower RPM.

•It is also important to note that aggressive braking is not only a disadvantage to the brake pad but increases fuel consumption.

Slamming on the brakes increases fuel consumption as the car needs to accelerate again. Give a reasonable distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. If you have been driven by a pilot before, you would understand what it means to drive with caution.

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They are very cautious of the vehicles in front of them and avoid them from afar. I am sure that if we take count of professionals who hardly get involved in traffic accidents, the pilot would take the number spot.

•Avoid hard acceleration when moving your car from complete stop or climbing hills as it increases fuel consumption. Most people who drive vehicles with automatic transmission hardly know the advantage of one special feature in the car called cruise control.

If you are driving an automatic car, you can make use of cruise control to keep your speed constant. But if you are driving a manual car, maintain a higher gear when appropriate. This ensures that your engine goes through less revolutions per minute, RPM and ensures less fuel consumption.

•Driving in traffic causes higher fuel consumption. Stop-start traffic puts a lot of pressure on your engine and burns more fuel. Avoid peak traffic if possible. Turn off your engine when it is parked. As long as your engine is on, the fuel is burning. The choice is yours to keep the engine steaming when that car is not moving. It is your fuel that is burning which you can use to cover some kilometers.

•Regular servicing with quality engine oil is key to the longevity of your engine. If your engine is poorly maintained, it will lead to sludge and corrosion build-up which will prevent the engine from working smoothly. Regular maintenance is key.

•Follow your vehicle’s schedule, a healthy engine works better. A clean air filter lets the engine breathe freely. Good airflow improves fuel use. Use the right oil type to reduce friction and boost engine performance. When buying a new car, think about fuel efficiency. Pick a model that fits your needs. If your car has a fuel-saving mode, then use it.

How to lower fuel consumption of your car

Vanguard