The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has encouraged corps members undergoing training in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicle conversion to take advantage of the emerging opportunities in Nigeria’s clean mobility sector. The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NADDC, Joseph Osanipin gave the charge at the technical commencement of the NADDC and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) CNG Retrofitting Training Programme under the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Lagos on Monday. The training, which has attracted hundreds of youth corps members, is designed to equip participants with practical skills in converting petrol-powered vehicles to CNG. The NADDC DG represented by Mr. Ikechukwu Okoha, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations said the objective of the programme was not merely to produce certificate holders but competent automotive technicians and entrepreneurs capable of contributing to the country’s emerging CNG ecosystem. He said participants would receive training in CNG components, installation procedures, fuel-system integration, electrical and electronic connections, leak detection, testing, calibration, diagnostics and maintenance. He, however, stressed that safety must remain paramount, warning that participants must acquire the necessary competence before undertaking conversion jobs. He said, “At NADDC, our objective is not simply to produce certificate holders. We want to produce competent automotive technicians and entrepreneurs who can confidently contribute to the emerging CNG ecosystem in Nigeria. This is why practical demonstration, supervised hands-on training, adherence to standards and proper technical procedures are central to this programme. “I therefore urge all of you to pay close attention to your instructors. Participate actively in the practical sessions and understand not only how a component is installed, but why it is installed in a particular manner. You must also understand the consequences of poor workmanship, improper connections, inadequate testing and failure to observe safety procedures.” Speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Dr. Titilope Gbadamosi, urged the corps members to key into the Federal Government’s CNG conversion initiative, stressing that the programme would create significant employment opportunities for young Nigerians. She disclosed that the NADDC DG had also promised to certify, free of charge, corps members who are ready to establish their own CNG conversion workshops, thereby reducing the barriers to entry for young entrepreneurs. Gbadamosi said the Federal Government’s target of converting 100,000 vehicles annually would require a large pool of skilled young people capable of handling the growing demand for CNG conversion services. She explained that upon completion of their orientation programme, young engineers would be attached to accredited conversion centres where they would gain practical experience for a full year. She urged the corps members to take the opportunity seriously, noting that the skills could provide a pathway to entrepreneurship and wealth creation. “You can become a billionaire and set up your own workstation,” she told the participants.
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