RismadarVoice Reporters
September 18, 2026
The Federal Government of Nigeria has commissioned the first Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion centre in the South-East, located in Ebonyi State.
The facility was commissioned on behalf of President Bola Tinubu by the Minister of State for Industry, John Owan-Enoh, as part of efforts to expand technical skills, support industrial development and create employment opportunities in the automotive sector.
Speaking at the commissioning, Owan-Enoh described Ebonyi as a state with significant entrepreneurial potential and urged young people to take advantage of the facility to acquire relevant technical skills.
He said the skills gained through the centre could enable beneficiaries to establish businesses and create jobs for others.
The minister also assured Governor Francis Nwifuru of the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting the completion of the Abakaliki Cement Factory project at Nkalagu.
Governor Nwifuru described the CNG conversion centre as the result of collaboration between the Ebonyi State and Federal Governments.
He said the project aligned with his administration’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda and its efforts to promote infrastructure, human capital development, technology and productive enterprise.
Nwifuru urged young people in the state to embrace technical and vocational education, noting that properly trained automotive technicians could establish businesses and contribute to employment generation.
The governor also invited investors and development agencies to explore opportunities in Ebonyi, particularly its growing youth population.
He assured potential investors that his administration would continue to provide an environment conducive to business and industrial development.
Officials commend initiative
The State Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring, Ann Aligwe, commended Nwifuru for prioritising entrepreneurship and human capital development.
She said the state’s commitment to the initiative helped attract the Federal Government’s intervention.
The Chairman of the Board, Chief Emmanuel Eneukwu, and the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, also commended the Ebonyi State Government for supporting the project.
They called for sustained collaboration between the state and Federal Government to ensure the centre achieves its objectives.
The facility will help to strengthen local capacity for CNG vehicle conversion while providing opportunities for young people to acquire specialised automotive skills and participate in the emerging gas-based transport economy.
