Malaysia’s recent decision to end the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for vehicles by July 2025 has sparked a debate among Nigerians, as the Nigerian government continues to advocate CNG as a cleaner, cheaper fuel alternative to petrol.
Malaysian Transport Minister, Anthony Loke cited safety concerns as the reason for the ban, highlighting the risks associated with aging CNG tanks that have surpassed their 15-year safe usage limit.
Speaking at a press conference, Loke explained that older CNG tanks, if not replaced, could pose significant safety risks to road users, with the phase-out set to impact over 44,000 vehicles in Malaysia, including private cars, taxis, buses, and industrial machinery.
“These NGV tanks have a safe usage lifespan of approximately 15 years, and if they are not replaced, they become unsafe to use and may fail at any time,” Loke stated.
Malaysia’s state oil and gas corporation, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas), will begin gradually halting CNG sales at its stations starting July 1, 2025.
Loke also announced support measures for affected taxi drivers and owners of dual-fuel or purely CNG-powered vehicles to help them transition away from CNG.
This comes as the Nigerian government continues to promote CNG vehicles as a safer, cost-effective option in the wake of subsidy removals.