The Federal Government is poised to achieve over 60% savings on diesel costs by retrofitting train locomotives to operate on a dual-fuel system.
Minister of Transportation, Said Alkali, expressed his satisfaction with the successful test run in a statement released on Friday.
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He said, “This achievement is a step towards reducing transportation costs and making train fares more affordable for the general public.”
During a demonstration at the Amina J. Mohammed Train Station (Idu Train Station) in Abuja, the Minister showcased the locomotive’s capabilities along the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor.
The retrofitted locomotives now operate on a mix of 70% Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and 30% diesel, marking a crucial advancement in lowering operational expenses and promoting cleaner energy within Nigeria’s rail transport system.
Alkali explained that prior to the modification, the locomotives operated solely on diesel. The upgrade now allows them to primarily utilize LNG, with diesel constituting just 30% of their fuel consumption.
However, he noted that a complete conversion to 100% LNG is not technically feasible due to the heavy-duty engine’s original diesel design.
“It is not technically possible to convert it to run 100% on LNG,” Alkali stated.
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The minister also outlined plans to expand the retrofitting initiative across the national rail network.
He highlighted the importance of reviewing current regulations before fully implementing the conversion, stating, ”We will now write to the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission to allow them to assess the submission. This will enable the ministry to approach the Federal Executive Council for approval.”
Samuel Uko, Managing Director of De-Sadel Consortium, commended the achievement, noting that this marks the first locomotive in Africa to operate using LNG.
Uko said, “Without the proactiveness of the ministry and the minister, this would never have been possible.”
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