The Federal Government has revealed that it will save over 60% of its diesel expenses by retrofitting locomotive engines by using a combination of diesel and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) by Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) trains.
During an inspection of the converted trains in Abuja on Thursday, Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’id Alkali, highlighted the cost-cutting benefits of the retrofitting process.
“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 explained.
The minister added that the initiative represented a significant milestone in the conversion of NRC locomotives to operate on both LNG and diesel, which will lead to substantial savings in operating costs for commercial trains.
The retrofitting process involves modifying the engines to use 70% LNG and 30% diesel, compared to their previous 100% 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 will greatly reduce fuel expenses, the minister, however, ruled out the possibility of the locomotives running entirely on LNG.
“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 locomotives,” he explained.
The Minister of Transportation concluded by assuring Nigerians that once all the locomotives were retrofitted, rail transportation costs would drop significantly.