By Atoyebi Nike
Energy and safety experts have expressed concern over the slow pace of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) project in northern Nigeria, calling on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address the situation.
Speaking at a roundtable in Maiduguri, the Development and Safety Professional Association accused Rolling Energy, the company responsible for implementing the project in the North, of underperforming.
Engr. Bukar Hashimu Goni, the group’s regional coordinator, said the CNG policy introduced by President Bola Tinubu was a welcome move to ease the effects of fuel subsidy removal, but poor implementation in the North risks undermining the initiative.
“While other contractors are making progress in parts of the country, Rolling Energy is barely visible in Maiduguri and other key cities,” he said. “In Kano and Kaduna, there’s no sign of any work, and even in Kwara, the site is too small to meet demand.”
The association said it had tracked the project since its launch and found Rolling Energy lacking in both capacity and presence across the region.
Architect Mansur Walid, the group’s technical director, called for closer scrutiny of the company, saying, “We urge the President and security agencies to investigate why the northern rollout is failing. Other regions are moving forward—why not the North?”
The experts said if the issues are not addressed quickly, the North may fall behind in the country’s push towards cleaner, more affordable energy.
