July 12, 2025. The Nigerian military has taken a major step toward reducing its fuel costs and carbon footprint with the delivery of 84 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered vehicles under a federal government clean energy initiative.
The vehicles which includes 20 buses, 50 pickup vans, and 14 executive transport units were handed over to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja through a partnership with the Presidential CNG Initiative (P-CNGi).
Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who inaugurated the vehicles, said the military’s embrace of CNG technology signals a shift toward sustainability and energy efficiency in national security operations.
“This is not just about fuel. It’s about repositioning Nigeria as a global player in clean energy, and our military is now setting the pace,” he said.
Matawalle described the move as a key part of President Bola Tinubu’s push for environmentally responsible governance, adding that it was only logical to tap into Nigeria’s abundant natural gas reserves.
He said while the transition would reduce fuel costs and emissions, it also showed innovation in military logistics. He called on the Armed Forces to develop supporting infrastructure like CNG refueling stations at military bases and to train technicians to manage the conversion systems.
