Kwara State University (KWASU) has taken a significant step towards promoting sustainable energy by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with two Chinese firms to initiate the large-scale commercial conversion of petrol vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric vehicles.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Shaykh Luqman Jimoh disclosed this on Friday (November 1, 2024) in Ilorin during an interview with journalists, saying that the rationale behind this cost-saving initiative partnership was to make the conversion accessible to more people.
The Vice Chancellor disclosed that the university had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two Chinese firms to realise this rare initiative.
He noted that arrangements had been concluded by his institution to establish a Compressed Natural Gas and electric vehicles conversion site in Ilorin, the state capital.
According to him, the institution is currently working on the conversion of the 22 Kwara Express vehicles, facilitated by the Executive Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
“When we converted our first two vehicles to electric, we presented them to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who commended and supported our efforts. Following his recommendation, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Technology entrusted us with three vehicles for conversion to electric. We have successfully converted two so far.
“The governor facilitated the transfer of 22 vehicles from Kwara Express to KWASU for conversion, and work has already commenced on the project.
“Recently, we completed the conversion of one vehicle to CNG, enabling it to run on both petrol and gas. We are not new to this process; we have been working on it for some time and are already seeing promising results.
“We are currently at the development stage; by the time we move into the marketing phase, this project will contribute to the university’s revenue, especially with the planned site here in town,” he added.
He said university has already successfully converted three vehicles to electric and one to CNG, explaining that partnering with reputable companies for the supply of CNG conversion kits is a proactive step to ensure quality and avoid substandard products that could pose safety risks.
The Chief Technologist in KWASU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineer Abdulazeez Akande, highlighted the environmental and economic benefits of the conversion programme, noting that carbon emissions from vehicles have significantly contributed to ozone layer depletion.
Engineer Akande pointed out that the rising petrol prices have forced many people to park their vehicles, saying that CNG offers a cost-effective alternative as it provides up to 80 percent savings compared to traditional fuel.
