The ministry of transportation says it will save over 60 percent of its diesel expenses on trains from a retrofitting process that involves converting locomotive engines to using a combination of diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Sa’id Alkali, minister of transportation, spoke in Abuja on September 19 during a tour of Idu and Kubwa train stations.
“We are focused on reducing operational costs. By using a fuel mix where 70% is LNG and only 30% is diesel, the cost of running the locomotives will be significantly reduced by about 60%,” Alkali said.
The minister said the initiative represents a significant milestone in the conversion of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) locomotives, which he said would lead to substantial savings in operating costs for commercial trains.
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He said the retrofitting process will replace the corporation’s 100 percent reliance on diesel.
“By incorporating LNG into the fuel mix, we are drastically cutting costs, and we are committed to ensuring this is fully implemented across the country,” Alkali added.
While the retrofitting is expected to greatly reduce fuel expenses, the minister ruled out the possibility of the locomotives running entirely on LNG.
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“These are heavy-duty engines, and while smaller engines like generators or cars can be converted to run fully on LNG or CNG, it is technically impossible to do so with diesel-built locomotive,” he said.
Alkali said once all the locomotives are retrofitted, rail transportation costs would drop significantly.
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