Sterling Oil Donates CNG-Powered Buses to Nigeria Police Force, Reinforcing Its Commitment to Cleaner Operations
The buses were unveiled by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Riliwan Disu, alongside Sterling Oil’s Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, Mohit Barot. The ceremony was attended by senior Force officers and a Sterling Oil delegation that included Head of Business Development Raj Bhargava, the company’s Public Relations Officer, and other senior executives.
Unveiling the vehicles, IGP Disu described the donation as a welcome addition to the Force’s logistics capacity, noting that it would improve personnel mobility and support officer welfare. He commended the growing role of private-sector partnerships in strengthening the operational efficiency and service delivery of security institutions.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Barot said the donation reflects Sterling Oil’s broader commitment to sustainability and national development beyond its core oil and gas operations. Rather than diesel or petrol-powered vehicles, the company opted for CNG buses, which burn more cleanly, emit significantly less carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter, and cost considerably less to run than conventional fuel — benefits the company said were consistent with its own fleet strategy and environmental priorities.
A Sustained Track Record on Sustainability
The donation is the latest in a series of environmental and sustainability investments by Sterling Oil across its operations:
- Cleaner fleet: More than 90 percent of the company’s heavy- and light-duty vehicles now run on natural gas, with plans underway to transition the remainder to CNG or electric vehicles. The company reports this shift has cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 39,000 tonnes and reduced diesel consumption by roughly 290,500 litres a month.
- Marine safety upgrade: Sterling Oil has completed a full upgrade of its 33-barge marine fleet to double-hull systems, an internationally recognised design that reduces the risk of oil spills into the rivers and wetlands of the Niger Delta.
- Community fuel savings: The company reports annual savings of more than 500,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) through cleaner fuel initiatives that have benefited host communities and supported emergency electricity supply using natural gas.
- Emissions and safety controls: Sterling Oil says it has achieved an 18 percent reduction in routine gas flaring, deployed methane leak-detection technology capable of cutting fugitive emissions by up to 80 percent, and established spill-response systems designed to contain incidents exceeding 300 barrels on both land and water.
- Operational safety record: The company reports a 100 percent incident-free drilling record over the past five years, alongside full compliance with statutory dispersant regulations.
“This donation is more than a corporate gesture,” Mr. Barot said. “It reflects how cleaner transport and corporate sustainability can come together to support Nigeria’s public institutions, and it’s consistent with the standard we hold ourselves to across our own operations.”
Looking Ahead
Sterling Oil said it intends to continue exploring partnerships that advance cleaner transport and environmental stewardship across the communities and institutions it works with, describing the police donation as one part of a broader, long-term sustainability agenda.
