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Kwara State University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two Chinese corporations to commence large-scale commercial conversion of petrol vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas and electric vehicles.
The Vice-Chancellor of KWASU, Jimoh Shaykh-Luqman, revealed this information to the press in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, on Friday. He mentioned that the university has successfully converted three vehicles to electric and one to CNG.
In the words of the Vice-Chancellor, “The university has formalized a Memorandum of Understanding with two Chinese corporations to bring this unique initiative to fruition,” highlighting that KWASU is the first institution in the country to accomplish this milestone in collaboration with the two Chinese firms.
The Chinese corporations in question, as per the VC, are Zhejiang Sinray Electronics Company and Jiaxing Keyuan Electronics, both of which have offices in Abuja.
Prof Lukman elaborated that the decision to collaborate with reputable companies for the supply of CNG conversion kits was a proactive measure to ensure quality and prevent the use of substandard products that could pose safety hazards.
The objective of KWASU is to scale up conversions significantly to make this cost-effective initiative accessible to a wider audience.
“Kwara State University has effectively converted three of its vehicles to electric motors, as well as one vehicle from the Kwara State Ministry of Business Innovation and Technology,” he remarked.
He pointed out that the escalating petrol prices and the consequent surge in harmful carbon emissions prompted the university to embark on this research, which has already yielded substantial benefits.
Prof Luqman emphasized the advantages of conversion, such as financial savings and environmental gains, stating, “While a liter of petrol costs approximately N1,200, a kilogram of gas is only N200. Furthermore, the risk of inhaling carbon emissions is eliminated.”
He disclosed KWASU’s intention to inaugurate a site for the official launch of the commercial project, ensuring that it will bolster the university’s internal revenue generation services.
“When we converted our initial two vehicles to electric, we presented them to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who praised and endorsed our endeavors. Following his endorsement, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Technology entrusted us with three vehicles for electric conversion. We have successfully converted two of them so far,” the Vice-Chancellor remarked.
He added that the governor also facilitated the transfer of 22 vehicles from Kwara Express to KWASU for conversion, and work on these vehicles has already begun.
“Recently, we completed the conversion of one vehicle to CNG, allowing it to run on both petrol and gas. We are not novices to this process; we have been engaged in it for some time and are already witnessing promising outcomes.
“We are presently in the developmental phase; once we transition to the marketing phase, this project will contribute to the university’s revenue, particularly with the planned site here in town,” he affirmed.
