Motorists Endure Long Queues As CNG Demand Outpaces Infrastructure
Long Queues Persist at CNG Stations Nationwide
COMMERCIAL and private motorists across Lagos, Abuja and several other parts of Nigeria are continuing to grapple with long queues at Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations, with some drivers spending up to eight hours waiting to refill their vehicles.
The congestion comes amid a sharp increase in the number of vehicles converted to CNG following rising petrol prices, exposing the limited capacity of the country’s refuelling infrastructure to meet growing demand.
Vehicle Conversions Drive Increased Demand
Industry operators say the queues are not the result of gas shortages but rather insufficient dispensing facilities to serve the rapidly expanding population of CNG users.
At the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) gas station along Agege Road in Lagos, commercial tricycle operator Bayo Oladimeji said lengthy queues have become a daily reality.
According to him, motorists often converge on a handful of stations known to have reliable supplies, while dispensing operations are frequently suspended whenever storage tanks are being replenished, causing waiting times to increase significantly.
Another Lagos motorist, Idris Yekeen, explained that he travels from Ikotun to Agege because there are no CNG stations close to his residence.
He dismissed speculation that higher prices were responsible for the queues, noting that CNG remains relatively affordable at about ₦380 per standard cubic metre. He instead advocated the introduction of mobile dispensing units that can serve motorists at strategic locations and transport hubs.
Abuja Drivers Face Similar Delays
The situation is equally challenging in the Federal Capital Territory, where motorists report joining queues before dawn in order to secure fuel.
At the NASENI-Portland Centre in Dei-Dei, one commercial driver said he arrived around 4:00 a.m. but was not attended to until midday. At the NIPCO station in Kubwa, queues reportedly stretched for kilometres, forcing many motorists to abandon their vehicles temporarily while waiting for their turn.
Experts Blame Infrastructure Deficit
Station operators insist the problem stems largely from operational limitations rather than product scarcity.
They explained that dispensing slows considerably whenever storage pressure drops, making the refuelling process much longer until new supplies arrive.
Energy economist Prof. Wumi Iledare warned that Nigeria risks replacing petrol queues with CNG queues unless investments in refuelling infrastructure keep pace with the government’s conversion programme.
Energy lawyer Dr. Ayodele Oni also observed that although vehicle conversions have accelerated, only a limited number of approved mother and daughter stations are currently operational nationwide.
Similarly, former Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) National Secretary Mike Osatuyi urged authorities to allow conventional filling stations to integrate CNG dispensing facilities to improve nationwide access.
Government Promises More Stations
The Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV) acknowledged the congestion but described it as evidence of growing public confidence in CNG rather than supply shortages.
Chief Operating Officer Tosin Coker disclosed that additional refuelling stations are being commissioned regularly, with at least 10 expected to become operational before the end of the month and nearly 70 more planned before year-end.
Despite the inconvenience, many motorists maintain that the substantial savings on fuel costs continue to outweigh the long waiting hours, reinforcing confidence that CNG remains an attractive alternative to petrol.
