By Rasheeda Hamidu
The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) plans to train at least 1,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members annually in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicle retrofitting to build technical capacity for Nigeria’s cleaner transport transition.
NADDC Director-General, Joseph Osanipin, announced the target on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the CNG Retrofitting Training Programme implemented with the NYSC.
The programme is being delivered under the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative to equip young Nigerians with technical skills for the emerging alternative-fuel sector.
Osanipin explained that participants would learn about CNG technology, vehicle conversion processes and the operational requirements of the sector.
“Because CNG is new, we have to train our youths to understand how it works, its dynamics and how to convert vehicles,” Osanipin said.
He added that the training would expose beneficiaries to opportunities in technical services, vehicle maintenance, entrepreneurship and other areas of the CNG value chain.
According to Osanipin, the first phase will train 300 corps members across six locations, with 50 participants selected from each centre for the pilot exercise.
The pilot locations are Abuja, Adamawa, Kano, Lagos, Edo and Enugu, according to Titilope Gbadamosi, Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives.
Gbadamosi said beneficiaries would receive continuous practical training during their service year through placements at accredited CNG conversion centres.
She added that the initiative supports the government’s “One Youth, Two Skills” agenda and is intended to address youth unemployment while developing technical capacity for the CNG sector.
The NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, said the programme aligns with the Corps’ objective of using skills acquisition and entrepreneurship training to improve employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
Nafiu explained that the pilot would initially focus on mechanical, electrical and mechatronics engineering graduates, alongside other corps members with relevant technical backgrounds.
“As we progress, we will expand the net and absorb other interests,” Nafiu said, adding that the programme aims to help young Nigerians become gainfully employed.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to providing young people with practical and employable skills.
“Certificate alone cannot do it,” Olawande said, stressing the need for an enabling environment that allows young people to create employment opportunities.
Osanipin said the programme would run for three years before a comprehensive review to incorporate lessons from implementation and developments in the CNG industry.
He stressed that Nigeria’s energy transition would require skilled technicians, engineers, entrepreneurs and safety professionals alongside investment in infrastructure and vehicles.
NatureNews notes that CNG-powered transport is being promoted in Nigeria as an alternative fuel option, while the development of trained conversion and maintenance personnel is important for the safe expansion of the sector.
The NADDC-NYSC programme therefore combines technical skills development with Nigeria’s broader efforts to expand alternative-fuel mobility and develop a workforce capable of supporting the country’s evolving energy and transport systems.
