President Bola Tinubu on Friday commissioned the Jahi High-Capacity Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Daughter Booster Station in Abuja, reinforcing the federal government’s commitment to expanding gas infrastructure and accelerating Nigeria’s transition to cleaner and more affordable energy solutions.

The facility, developed by Rolling Energy Limited with support from the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF), is one of four major gas infrastructure projects inaugurated nationwide as part of the administration’s strategy to deepen domestic gas utilisation and strengthen Nigeria’s gas value chain.

Represented at the commissioning ceremony by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, President Tinubu described the project as a major milestone in the implementation of the federal government’s “Decade of Gas” agenda and the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG).

According to the President, the station will significantly improve access to cleaner energy while supporting broader economic growth and industrialisation efforts. He stressed that Nigeria, with an estimated 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, must increasingly utilise its natural gas resources for domestic economic development rather than relying primarily on exports.

Tinubu noted that facilities like the Jahi Daughter Booster Station are critical to building the infrastructure required for the widespread adoption of CNG in transportation and industrial operations across the country.

He added that such investments would not only improve energy access but also create employment opportunities, stimulate local businesses, reduce transportation fuel costs, lower carbon emissions and make energy more affordable for Nigerians.

“The commissioning of this Daughter Booster Station is a practical contribution to the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG), which seeks to expand the adoption of CNG as a cleaner, more affordable and sustainable fuel alternative for transportation and industrial applications,” Tinubu stated.

“Projects like this create jobs, stimulate local enterprise, reduce transportation fuel costs, lower emissions and improve energy affordability for Nigerians. They also reinforce investor confidence in the Nigerian gas sector and demonstrate the effectiveness of public-private collaboration.”

In his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of Rolling Energy Limited, Mr. Mubarak Danbatta, described the facility as more than just a fuelling station, saying it symbolises confidence in Nigeria’s gas future and the country’s clean energy transition.

Danbatta explained that the station forms part of an ongoing gas infrastructure expansion programme being executed in partnership with MDGIF to support the federal government’s Pi-CNG initiative.

He disclosed that Rolling Energy Limited had already contributed to the national gas adoption programme through the deployment of more than 8,000 vehicle conversion kits in collaboration with the Pi-CNG initiative.

According to him, the Jahi station has recorded impressive patronage since operations began, currently serving between 350 and 400 vehicles daily.

“What began as a response to rising transportation costs has rapidly evolved into a nationwide movement. Across the country, more Nigerians are embracing gas-powered mobility solutions because they are cleaner, more affordable and more sustainable,” Danbatta said.

He added that the strong daily utilisation of the facility demonstrates growing public confidence in natural gas as a practical and economically viable energy alternative.

Representing the Executive Director of MDGIF, Mr. Oluwole Adama, the Deputy Director of Project Management, Dr. Hussein Basaka, reaffirmed the fund’s commitment to supporting strategic gas infrastructure projects nationwide.

Basaka described the commissioning as another important step toward strengthening Nigeria’s gas infrastructure and promoting natural gas as a cleaner and more sustainable source of energy.

He stated that MDGIF remains committed to investments that drive energy access, economic growth and national development, while commending the federal government, National Assembly, regulators and project partners for their support.

Also speaking at the event, the Abuja Regional Coordinator of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Hajia Maijidda Abdulkadir, described the project as a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s gas utilisation drive.

She praised President Tinubu for establishing initiatives aimed at deepening gas adoption nationwide and assured stakeholders of the regulator’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for sustainable investments in the sector.

Abdulkadir further stated that the NMDPRA would continue collaborating with industry stakeholders to ensure the safe, efficient and sustainable expansion of gas infrastructure across Nigeria.