By Okeoghene Akubuike

The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), says there is a need for proper regulation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion to provide safe CNG vehicles.

Joseph Osanipin, the Director-General, NADDC, said this at a Stakeholders Engagement Meeting on Accreditation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Powered Vehicle Conversion Workshops in Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.

Osanipin, represented by Dr Fidelis Achiv, the Director, Research, Design and Development, NADDC, said according to Autogas Africa, there are over 120 CNG conversion centres with 466 skilled technicians operating across the country.

He said these workshops had a capacity to convert a minimum of two petrol vehicles to CNG per day, indicating that CNG conversion was increasingly gaining acceptance and the market was expanding in the country.

“These CNG conversion centres are unregulated, which raises safety concerns on the standards and code of practice used in the conversion.

” The market expansion, safety concerns and unregulated conversion centres have necessitated the council to roll out programmes to standardise CNG conversion centres.

“Also to upgrade skills development through training of auto technicians on conversion, repair and maintenance of CNG vehicles.

“The workshop aims to enlighten stakeholders on the developed council’s guidelines and requirements for the accreditation and certification of all workshops that are interested in undertaking CNG conversion.”

Osanipin said the accreditation and certification would ensure that workshops operated in compliance with workplace best practices and standards.

“The guidelines and expression of interest form will be available online through the council’s website, therefore, it is required that all CNG workshops should apply for the accreditation and certification,” he said.

Achiv, who spoke on the sidelines, said the council was ensuring compliance by the CNG conversion workshops.

“We are going to go round the workshops to ensure the minimum requirements are met and for those who do not meet the requirement we will not accredit their workshop for conversion.

“If on their own they go ahead to do any conversion, the conversion will not be reckoned with and when they go to get CNG gas in any station they will not be served.

“After the conversion, they are going to be given a QR code which will go with every vehicle they have converted. It is that QR code that will be used to serve them gas in the gas stations.

“So if they do not meet the minimum requirement, they will not be served at the stations.”

He said a workshop was expected to have four personnel which include a mechanic, welder, auto electrician and an ICT personnel before it could be accredited.

Achiv said the council proposed a registration fee of N250,000 to be paid by the CNG converters, saying this would wade off converters who would want to circumvent the conversion process.

Zayganu Tobo, the Programme Coordinator, Regulatory Compliance and Facilitation, Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI) said the initiative was a bold and decisive programme that was strategic and realisable

“By 2027, we anticipate one million vehicles running on CNG. We hope in four to five years, we will have 11,000 different CNG platforms and infrastructure.

“We anticipate 25,000 technicians and allied professionals will be trained and three billion dollars of investment with multiple effects on our economy will be realised in four to five years.”

Tobo said a CNG app would be inaugurated to help people identify CNG infrastructure, and conversion centres closest to them.

Chukwunonso Okeke, the Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), said SON had 82 standards that guide the standards of CNG conversion in Nigeria.

Okeke, represented by Ega Ijachi, the Group Head, Mechanical and LPG, said the standards had been achieved by working with different stakeholders.

“Out of the 82 standards, 28 are strictly on the conversion kits and these standards state the safety requirements of these kits. For example, the cylinders have to go through 18 tests before they can be used.

“CNG is safe for use, and SON is poised to ensure quality assurance of the kits used for the conversion, he said.

Ramalan Yerima, the Assistant Corps Marshal, Corps Safety Engineering Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said the corps’ role was to enforce the standards and enforce the usage of CNG when the time comes.

Yerima said the FRSC would continue to work with SON to ensure standards of CNG conversion were met.

Mr Simon Agenyi, the Director, Procurement, Federal Ministry of Finance, encouraged all participants to support NADDC in ensuring the CNG conversion becomes a reality.

Agenyi, Represented by Adigwe Ebube, Chief Procurement Officer, said the conversion to CNG would improve the welfare and lives of Nigerians as he pledged the ministry’s support to the mission. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 33.69 per cent in April 2024.

The NBS said this in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation Report for April, which was released in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to the report, the figure is 0.49 per cent points higher compared to the 33.20 per cent recorded in March 2024.

It said on a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate in April 2024 was 11.47 per cent higher than the rate recorded in April 2023 at 22.22 per cent.

In addition, the report said, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in April 2024 was 2.29 per cent, which was 0.73 per cent lower than the rate recorded in March 2024 at 3.02 per cent.

“This means that in April 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is less than the rate of increase in the average price level in March 2024.”

The report said the increase in the headline index for April 2024 on a year-on-year basis and month-on-month basis was attributed to the increase in some items in the basket of goods and services at the divisional level.

It said these increases were observed in food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel, clothing and footwear, and transport.

Others were furnishings, household equipment and maintenance, education, health, miscellaneous goods and services, restaurants and hotels, alcoholic beverage, tobacco and kola, recreation and culture, and communication.

It said the percentage change in the average CPI for the 12 months ending April 2024 over the average of the CPI for the previous corresponding 12-month period was 28.10 per cent.

“This indicates a 7.28 per cent increase compared to 20.82 per cent recorded in April 2023.”

The report said the food inflation rate in April 2024 increased to 40. 53 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which was 15.92 per cent higher compared to the rate recorded in April 2023 at 24.61 per cent.

“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis is caused by increases in prices of Garri, Millet, Akpu Uncooked Fermented (which are under the Bread and Cereals class), Yam Tuber, and Water Yam, CocoYam

“Others are Dried Fish Sadine, Dried Catfish, Mudfish Dried, Palm Oil, Vegetable Oil, Coconut Oil , Beef Feet, Beef Head, Liver, Frozen Chicken.

“Others are Mango, Banana, Grapefruit, Coconut, Water Melon, Lipton Tea, Bournvita, and Milo.”

It said on a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in April was 2.50 per cent, which was a 1.11 per cent decreaese compared to the rate recorded in March 2024 at 3.62 per cent.

“The fall in food inflation on a month-on-month basis was caused by a decrease in the average prices of Guinea corn flour, Plantain Flour etc (under Bread and Cereals class); Yam, Water Yam, Irish Potato, and CocoYam.

“Others are Beer, Loacl Beer, Milo, Bournvita, Nescafe, Groundnut oil, Palm oil, egg, fresh milk, powdered milk, Tin Milk, Soft drinks, wine and fruits. ”

The report said that “all items less farm produce and energy’’ or core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce and energy, stood at 26.84 per cent in April on a year-on-year basis.

“This increased by 6.87 per cent compared to 19.96 per cent recorded in April 2023.’’

“The exclusion of the PMS is due to the deregulation of the commodity by removal of subsidy.”

It said the highest increases were recorded in prices of Actual and Imputed Rentals for Housing, Journey by motorcycle, Bus Journey within a city, Consultation Fee of a medical doctor, X-ray photography among others.

The NBS said on a month-on-month basis, the core inflation rate was 2.20 per cent in April 2024.

“This indicates a 0.24 per cent decrease compared to what was recorded in March 2024 at 2.54 per cent.”

“The average 12-month annual inflation rate was 22.84 per cent for the 12 months ending April 2024, this was 5.15 per cent points higher than the 17.70 per cent recorded in April 2023.”

The report said on a year-on-year basis in April 2024, the urban inflation rate was 36 per cent, which was 12.61 per cent higher compared to the 23.39 per cent recorded in April 2023.

“On a month-on-month basis, the uban inflation rate was 2.67 per cent, which decreased by 0.50 per cent compared to March 2024 at 3.17 per cent.’’

The report said on a year-on-year basis in April 2024, the rural inflation rate was 31.64 per cent, which was 10.50 per cent higher compared to the 21.14 per cent recorded in April 2023.

“On a month-on-month basis, the rural inflation rate was 1.92 per cent, which decreased by 0.95 per cent compared to March 2024 at per cent.’’

On states’ profile analysis, the report showed in April that all items inflation rate on a year-on-year basis was highest in Kogi at 40.84 per cent, followed by Bauchi at 39.91 per cent, and Oyo at 38.37 per cent.

It, however, said the slowest rise in headline inflation on a year-on-year basis was recorded in Borno at 26.09 per cent, followed by Benue at 27.53 per cent, and Taraba at 28.69 per cent.

The report, however, said in April 2024, all items inflation rate on a month-on-month basis was highest in Lagos at 4.52 per cent, followed by Ondo at 3.35 per cent, and Edo at 3.27 per cent.

“Kano at 0.30 per cent, followed by Ebonyi at 0.97 per cent and Adamawa at 1.27 per cent recorded the slowest rise in month-on-month inflation.”

The report said on a year-on-year basis, food inflation was highest in Kogi at 48.62 per cent, followed by Kwara at 46.73 per cent, and Ondo at 45.88 per cent.

“Adamawa at 33.61 per cent, followed by Bauchi at 33.85 per cent and Nasarawa at 34.03 per cent recorded the slowest rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis.’’

The report, however, said on a month-on-month basis, food inflation was highest in Lagos at 4.74 per cent, followed by Edo at 4.06 per cent, and Yobe at 3.99 per cent.

“While Kano at 0.47 per cent, followed by Adamawa at 0.98per cent and Zamfara at 1.50 per cent, recorded the slowest rise in inflation on a month-on-month basis.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The National Bureau of Statistics(NBS) says it plans to produce crowd-sourced data on food prices using Artificial Intelligence.

Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, the Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer, NBS, said this at the 1st Bi-Annual Meeting of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics(NCCS),2024 in Keffi on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the three-day meeting has the theme “Understanding Big Data and Data Science: A New Perspective to Data Analysis and Dissemination.”

“Before the end of the year, we will commence the process of producing and publishing weekly crowd-sourced data on food prices using artificial intelligence and crowdsourcing methods for six pilot states in Nigeria.

“This will serve as an additional source of food price statistics to the conventional monthly Consumer Price Index(CPI) and Cost of Healthy Diet reports published by NBS,” he said.

Adeniran commended the Statistician-General of Kaduna State and the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics for their stride in adopting big data and data science.

“I understand that they already have a Data Science Campus which is already operational.

“This serves as a veritable model for other State Statistical Bureaus or agencies, even as you work hard to develop your conventional statistical operations in your respective states,” he said.

He said the NBS would continue to guide and lead by ensuring the necessary framework for utilising technology to explore the full potential of big data and data science for official statistics.

Adeniran said the NBS was collaborating with the Office of National Statistics in the UK and the African Development Bank(AfDB) to establish Data Innovation Lab and the GIS Lab.

“All these efforts align perfectly with the vision of the NBS and with our aspirations under the new National Strategy for the Development of Statistics( NSDS) 2024 – 2028.

“The NSDS 2024-2028 was validated in April by stakeholders of the system which is to build a robust national statistical system.

“A system well equipped to provide more accurate data and respond to the ever-evolving socioeconomic and data landscape.

“By embracing these initiatives, we are laying a solid foundation for a more resilient statistical system that can effectively meet the dynamic needs of our society and drive informed decision-making across all sectors,” he said.

He said the benefits and potential of big data and data science were limitless, saying however, that harnessing them came with some sets of challenges.

“First, we must invest heavily and sustainably in the necessary infrastructure to effectively collect, store, manage, analyse, and disseminate this vast amount of information available within the system.

“We must also develop a statistical system that is awash with personnel skilled in data science, statistics, and data engineering, and this should be done sustainably and efficiently, across all levels of federal, state, and local government.

“Furthermore, we must ensure responsible data governance that addresses privacy concerns, ethical considerations, and data security, particularly for personal details contained in these records.

The NBS boss said the committee needed to also go further and begin to champion data literacy by raising public awareness about the importance of data in a data-driven world,” he said.
He added:

“This will be done by engaging more with our users and other actors within the expanded statistical system.

“By embracing big data and data science, we can unlock a new perspective for data analysis, and dissemination in Nigeria.

“This will, in turn, affect the way and manner in which policy-making is done for the good of our citizens.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)