The Federal Government has said that the country will experience over 60 percent reduction in the operation cost from the retrofitting process of the locomotive engines.
Retrofitting of locomotives, a process of adding component or accessory that are not fitted during manufacture of the locomotive.
Retrofitting of locomotives will therefore enable locomotives that were running 100 percent on diesel to now run 70 per cent on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), 30 per cent diesel, while reducing running cost with the possibility of a decrease in train fare.
The Minister of Transportation, Sen. Sa’id Alkali during an inspection ride to ascertain the readiness and efficiency of the converted locomotives in Abuja on Thursday, noted that the retrofitting of locomotives is a cost cutting measure.
“When you look at the 70% component of the LNG, as against the 70% that was used on diesel, certainly the cost of using diesel will be drastically reduced to about 60 percent.”
“By retrofitting, we are going to use LNG 70% and diesel 30%. That is what we mean by retrofitting.
“The idea is by the time you use LNG 70%, the cost of running the locomotives will drastically be reduced.
“I am assuring Nigerians that we are going to enforce that.
” By the time all our locomotives are retrofitted, certainly the cost of transportation must drop drastically,” said Alkali.
On whether the locomotives would later underfo conversion to run solely on LNG, Alkali said: “The locomotives we have cannot run on conversion to LNG 100% because they have heavy engines. Normally, conversion is done with smaller engines like generators and cars. But this locomotives were manufactured to use diesel and it is not possible technically to convert it to CNG or LNG 100 per cent.
He added that Nigeria has the capacity to sustain the project because of its abundant gas resources.
The Chief Executive Officer of De-Sadel Consortium, Samuel Uko lauded the minister for his desire to ensure reduction in the cost of transportation, and operation.
“I commend the minister for always being on the side of the president to make sure there is a reduction in cost of operation of transportation in Nigeria.”
Uko, revealed that the locomotive is the first locomotive in Africa to be tested with LNG.
“This is the first locomotive in Africa to be tested with LNG. And if it’s not the proactive of the ministry and the minister, this would never have been possible.”
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