Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday launched 222 compressed natural gas and electric vehicles in Kano as part of a push to lower transport costs and expand clean energy use across Northern Nigeria.

The rollout, held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Sports Hall, included 15 buses—10 CNG-powered and five bi-fuel—seven electric vehicles, and 200 CNG tricycles under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG & EV).

Representing Shettima, Deputy Chief of Staff to the president, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, said the initiative aims to build a more resilient and competitive economy.He noted that rising transport costs drive up food prices and affect businesses nationwide, and that Nigeria’s over 200 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves should reduce reliance on expensive traditional fuels.

“Kano is the right place to start the northern rollout. It remains a major commercial and transport hub linking markets across Northern Nigeria and neighbouring countries,” Shettima said.

He commended PI-CNG EV head Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed for expanding the programme to include electric vehicles and noted that firms including Greenville LNG, AY Shafa, NIPCO, AA Rano, and Rolling Energy are investing in gas infrastructure across the North.Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf called the initiative a bold step to ease transport challenges and create jobs. He said the state is partnering with investors and providing land for gas and electric mobility infrastructure.

“Our administration will continue to provide an enabling environment for businesses to grow,” Yusuf said, adding that “Economic growth and job creation remain at the center of governance.”

Ahmed said the programme now covers 28 states, supports 58 refueling stations, and has trained over 7,000 Nigerians in vehicle conversion and technical services in 20 months.

He added that it has attracted more than $2 billion in investment commitmentsCNG and EV have arrived in Kano, and there is no going back,” he said