Minister of Transportation Saidu Ahmed Alkali on Monday conducted an inspection of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) locomotives at the Idu workshop in Abuja to assess the progress of retrofitting locomotives to operate on both LNG and diesel fuel.
During our examination, the minister engaged with the engineers involved in the project and observed that the process has reached an advanced stage. The engine is set to undergo a test run, marking a significant milestone as the first of its kind on the African Continent.
The engine will operate on a combination of 30% diesel and 70% Gas fuel. This means that upon startup, the engine will initially run on diesel before seamlessly transitioning to gas for the duration of the journey.
The objective is to reduce maintenance costs by approximately 60 to 70 percent and regulate carbon emissions, as this presents one of the most straightforward methods for managing local air pollution.
Upon completion, the trial will commence on the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor due to the planned installation of the retrofitting workshop in Abuja, which is intended to facilitate the testing process starting in this June, 2024. Subsequently, this process can be replicated on other corridors throughout the nation.
Sen. Saidu Ahmed Alkali
Minister of Transportation
11th June, 2024
