CNG Training Opens New Career Path for NYSC Members in Enugu

The Federal Government's drive to build skilled manpower for Nigeria's growing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector has reached Enug...

The Federal Government's drive to build skilled manpower for Nigeria's growing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector has reached Enugu State, with selected corps members receiving specialised training in vehicle conversion technology. The programme, which is being implemented under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative, is designed to give young Nigerians practical skills that could lead to jobs and business opportunities after their service year. Speaking on the initiative, the NYSC State Coordinator in Enugu, Mrs Oluwakemi Awolola, encouraged the participating corps members to take the training seriously and make the most of the opportunity. She noted that Enugu was selected as one of the pilot locations for the programme and urged the beneficiaries to begin thinking beyond searching for paid employment. According to her, the skills being acquired could help the corps members become entrepreneurs and create employment opportunities for other Nigerians after completing their national service. One of the participants, Lilian Jamike, described the programme as an important opportunity, saying she had gained useful knowledge about the process of converting vehicles to run on CNG. The training is expected to continue during the participants' service year, with further hands-on sessions and industry exposure planned for the beneficiaries. Successful participants are also expected to receive certification, while opportunities may be available for practical experience at CNG conversion centres. The initiative is part of a broader partnership aimed at preparing young Nigerians for opportunities emerging from the country's transition to cleaner and alternative energy for transportation. With Nigeria expanding its CNG infrastructure and conversion capacity, the training is expected to help address the shortage of skilled technicians needed in the sector while opening a new pathway for youth entrepreneurship and employment. The CNG retrofitting programme follows a partnership between NYSC and the National Automotive Design and Development Council to equip corps members with technical and enterprise-ready skills for Nigeria's evolving automotive and clean-energy industry.