April 16, 2025. Shuttlers, a Nigerian mobility startup, has introduced buses using compressed natural gas (CNG) to its fleet in a bid to build a more climate-friendly fleet. In the first quarter of 2025, the startup added 20 new CNG-powered vehicles to its fleet, completing 1,484 trips with the buses in three months.
“This move wasn’t just a decision—it was about making a real impact for us, our customers, and the environment,” Damilola Olokesusi, CEO and Co-founder at Shuttlers, said.
Amid limited infrastructure and cost comparisons to petrol, she added that the change had resulted in a 29% reduction in cost for riders using the service and a reduction in the CO2 released into the environment.
The widespread adoption of CNG as an alternative to petrol-powered vehicles and generators began after the fuel subsidy removal in 2023 and the 200% hike in petrol. CNG is famous for being cheaper than petrol at ₦230 per litre, and lasting longer than petrol.
Jumping on this CNG wave, the Nigerian government introduced a payment plan to facilitate the conversion of petrol-powered vehicles to CNG, a CNG-conversion app, and promised to distribute 2,000 CNG-powered tricycles to youths in the transportation sector across Nigeria.
