The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has urged the Rivers State Government to develop a comprehensive Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme, saying the initiative could reduce transportation costs, attract investment and create jobs.
PETROAN National President, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, made the call in Lagos during an inspection of CNG refuelling locations, according to reports published on August 23 and 24, 2026. He urged Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to study the CNG model being developed in Lagos and adapt it to the state’s own oil and gas resources, industrial capacity and transportation needs.
Gillis-Harry said Rivers had the resources, industrial base and strategic location to become a major CNG and gas-based transportation hub. He argued that the state should move beyond oil production and make greater use of its gas resources within the domestic economy.
PETROAN said in its recommendations that a state-backed CNG programme could support investment in vehicle conversion centres, refuelling infrastructure and related services. It proposed conversion centres along major transportation corridors, incentives to make vehicle conversion more affordable and partnerships involving the state government, private investors and gas companies.
The association also proposed the integration of CNG-powered buses into Rivers’ public transportation system and the gradual adoption of CNG vehicles by government ministries, departments and agencies.
According to PETROAN, greater CNG use could lower transportation and operating costs for commercial operators, particularly buses, taxis and other high-mileage vehicles. The association also described CNG as a comparatively lower-emission alternative to petrol and diesel for road transportation.
PETROAN further called on Rivers State to collaborate with the Federal Government’s Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), alongside gas producers, investors, transport operators and other stakeholders, to accelerate infrastructure development.
The association also said petroleum marketers should participate in the emerging gas economy rather than be left behind. It proposed converting existing filling stations into multi-energy outlets capable of dispensing petrol, diesel, CNG and other approved energy products.
While commending Lagos State’s CNG efforts, PETROAN cautioned Rivers against simply copying the Lagos model. The association said Rivers should develop its own strategy based on its gas resources, industrial capacity, transportation requirements and economic opportunities.
