More than 300 listed Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion centres have mysteriously disappeared from the official website of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PICNG), just days after an investigative report exposed alleged corruption and insider dealings within the program.

The data wipe occurred two days after Premium Times published a report detailing procurement irregularities, insider influence, and diversion of subsidised CNG kits meant for public transportation under the multi-billion naira initiative launched by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. A week later, the list remains missing, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

Insider Interests and Conflicts of Interest

Central to the allegations is David Idakwo, the Northern Region Expansion Coordinator for PICNG, who was found to hold significant stakes in Hi-Grade Energies Ltd, a private firm reportedly benefiting from the subsidised CNG kits. Notably, the company was registered just 10 days after Tinubu approved the CNG programme.

Experts have flagged Idakwo’s dual role as a violation of several Nigerian laws, including the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, the Public Procurement Act of 2007, and the ICPC Act of 2000. Although suspicions abound that other officials are similarly implicated, only Idakwo’s involvement has been verified so far.

Vanishing Data Sparks Suspicions of Cover-Up

Before the sudden removal, the PICNG website hosted a comprehensive list detailing the names and locations of CNG conversion centres nationwide. Archives from the Wayback Machine show that between August 2024 and May 2025, the list grew from 187 to 317 centres.

The timing of the data disappearance, coming immediately after the exposé, has fueled public suspicion of a deliberate cover-up. Critics argue that some of the listed centres may have existed only on paper, benefitting private interests linked to government officials.

“We are calling for the restoration of the data and an independent audit of the listed conversion centres,” an insider demanded.

Dubious Website Maintenance Claim

When contacted, a customer care agent who identified as Oluwaseun claimed that the site was undergoing maintenance. However, checks revealed that the site was operational, casting doubt on the explanation provided.

Web development experts like Olayinka Daniel of Dataphyte dismissed the justification, noting that data on such critical public infrastructure should not be pulled offline without notice or a valid reason.

“They can’t take it down to update it. This looks more like an attempt to hide information from public scrutiny,” Daniel said.

A Troubled Program

The CNG rollout, backed by over N45 billion via the Commercial Vehicle Conversion Incentive Programme (CV-CIP), was designed to reduce transportation costs following the fuel subsidy removal. The initiative was widely promoted as a game changer for Nigeria's energy and transportation sectors.

However, with the latest revelations, fears are mounting that the programme has been hijacked by vested interests within and around the corridors of power.

As of now, PICNG has issued no formal statement addressing the disappearance of the data or the corruption allegations.