By Abdullahi Idris, Dutse The Jigawa State Government has pledged to strengthen its collaboration with the Presidential Initiati...
By Abdullahi Idris, Dutse
The Jigawa State Government has pledged to strengthen its collaboration with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV) to expand alternative energy infrastructure and promote the adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG), particularly in the agricultural sector.
Governor Umar Namadi gave the assurance on Tuesday when the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative, Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to him at the Government House in Dutse.
Governor Namadi said the state’s interest in CNG extended beyond transportation, stressing that affordable energy for irrigation was essential to reducing farmers’ production costs and sustaining agricultural activities.
He noted that energy expenses currently account for more than half of farmers’ operating costs, a situation he said was discouraging some farmers from returning to their farms.
“As of today, energy costs constitute more than 50% of the operating expenses of our farmers,” the governor said.
He disclosed that the state government had resolved to support the conversion of irrigation pumps from conventional energy sources to CNG as part of efforts to reduce production costs, alongside existing subsidies on agricultural inputs.
“On this initiative, the state government is ready to bear the cost of conversion for the targeted farms. For us, going into CNG is a matter of necessity,” he said.
The governor explained that the intervention would be particularly beneficial to the state’s dry-season wheat and rice production programmes.
He reiterated Jigawa’s target of cultivating 500,000 hectares of wheat by 2030 and producing four million metric tonnes of rice annually within the same period.
Namadi also assured the delegation that the government was ready to provide land and other necessary support to facilitate the initiative, including partnerships with private-sector investors.
Earlier, Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed described Jigawa as a strategic location for expanding CNG infrastructure, citing its position between Kano and the North-East, availability of land, and the state government’s interest in alternative energy.
He disclosed that the presidential initiative was engaging private-sector investors to explore opportunities for establishing a major alternative energy hub in Jigawa, which could serve vehicles and heavy-duty transport operating along major routes.
Ahmed further revealed that the initiative was working to increase the number of CNG conversion centres in the state, with a target of establishing at least 30 centres by December 2026, subject to the willingness of local investors to participate.
He added that the initiative would also explore opportunities to collaborate with the state government on establishing electric vehicle charging infrastructure as part of its broader alternative energy programme.
Governor Namadi welcomed the proposals and reaffirmed Jigawa State’s readiness to collaborate with the presidential initiative, private investors, and other relevant partners to advance alternative energy infrastructure.
He said the proposed partnership would complement the state’s investments in irrigation and agricultural mechanisation while supporting efforts to reduce food production costs and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
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