Machine Learning-Based Techno-Economic and Environmental Evaluation of CNG Vehicles for Sustainable Transport in Nigeria

Nigeria's reliance on conventional fuels like gasoline and diesel has prompted the search for more affordable and sustainable alternatives. This study presents a techno-economic assessment of compressed natural gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel for the transport sector of the country. It investigates the feasibility of adopting Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) - powered vehicles in Nigeria’s transportation sector and its efficiency in urban, suburban, and intercity transport networks. Results show that CNG adoption could provide fuel efficiency (10.5 km/L) that is slightly better than petrol vehicles (8.5 km/L) and on par with diesel vehicles (10.0 km/L). However, due to the lower cost of CNG (NGN 100/kg), daily fuel cost savings of up to NGN 1,500 are realized when using CNG instead of petrol. This cost-saving extends over the lifetime of the vehicle thereby providing substantial economic relief to transport operators. Beyond cost savings, CNG offers environmental benefits, including lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality, helping to address the region’s environmental challenges.