The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) is exploring the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric vehicles (EVs) as part of efforts to reduce transportation costs and promote cleaner mobility on its campus.
The move was disclosed during a CNG and EV sensitisation programme organised by SYD Mega System Limited in collaboration with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) at the university’s NASU Secretariat.

Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Prof. Olawale Dairo, said the university was examining ways to strengthen its transportation system through the acquisition and deployment of vehicles in partnership with strategic stakeholders.
Dairo said collaboration among stakeholders was critical to developing practical transportation solutions capable of improving mobility while reducing the environmental impact of conventional vehicles.

He noted that cleaner transportation was gaining traction in Nigeria, supported by government interventions aimed at promoting alternative fuels and more efficient mobility.
The Managing Director of SYD Mega System Limited, Adebayo Soyode, said the sensitisation was intended to improve understanding of CNG-powered vehicles, their benefits and practical applications.

According to him, rising petrol and transportation costs, alongside government efforts to expand the CNG ecosystem, have increased the relevance of alternative fuels to vehicle owners and operators.
Soyode said CNG could offer users lower fuel expenditure and operating costs, while potentially improving engine performance and contributing to longer engine life.

The Chairman of SSANU-FUNAAB, Olugbenga Alayode, described the programme as an opportunity for members of the university community to gain practical knowledge about emerging vehicle technologies.
Similarly, the Chairman of NASU-FUNAAB, Samson Edivri, said the transition from petrol-powered vehicles to alternatives such as CNG required adequate awareness of issues around safety, efficiency, environmental sustainability and economic opportunities.

In a goodwill message, the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, Ismaeel Ahmed, represented by Engr. Joseph Igana, said the shift towards alternative energy was becoming increasingly important to Nigeria’s transport and economic development.
Ahmed disclosed that CNG operations had been activated in 28 states, with more than 120,000 vehicles and tricycles converted.

He added that the number of active CNG refuelling stations had risen from 11 at the start of the programme to more than 90, while more than 400 accredited conversion centres were operating across the country.
According to him, more than 8,000 CNG technicians have been trained and certified, while the sector has generated over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Ahmed urged FUNAAB to participate in the campus conversion partnership by converting its shuttle buses to CNG and training engineering students as certified CNG technicians.
He said such a model could position the university as a CNG-enabled institution where academic training, technical skills development and cleaner transportation are integrated.

The initiative comes as Nigerian universities and other institutions increasingly explore alternative-fuel vehicles amid efforts to lower mobility costs and expand the country’s CNG and EV ecosystem.