The Federal Government is poised to save over 60% on diesel costs following the successful retrofitting of train locomotives to operate on a dual-fuel system.
The Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, expressed his satisfaction with the milestone, calling it a significant step toward reducing transportation costs and making train rides more affordable for the public.
During a test run at the Amina J. Mohammed Train Station (Idu Train Station) in Abuja, the Minister led a demonstration of the locomotive’s capabilities along the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor.
The retrofitted locomotives now run on a mix of 70% Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and 30% diesel, marking a shift toward cleaner energy and reduced operational expenses in Nigeria’s rail system.
Alkali highlighted that while the conversion to LNG is a breakthrough, achieving a 100% LNG conversion is not technically feasible due to the locomotive’s heavy-duty engine, originally designed for diesel.
He emphasized, “It is not possible technically to convert it to CNG or LNG 100 per cent.”
Samuel Uko, Managing Director of De-Sadel Consortium, also commended the achievement, noting that this is the first locomotive in Africa to operate using LNG.
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