POLITICAL Economy

Sokoto Transport Authority Begins Conversion of Vehicles to CNG

by admin on | 2026-09-09 12:43:31

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By Maryam Muhammad

The Sokoto State Transport Authority (SSTA) has commenced the conversion of its petrol-powered vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to reduce operational costs and complement the Federal Government’s efforts to promote alternative energy sources in the transport sector.

The General Manager of the authority, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Sokoto on measures being implemented to modernise the agency’s fleet and improve transportation services.

Muhammad said the conversion programme began with the authority’s metropolitan vehicles, which provide subsidised transportation services to women, adding that the converted vehicles had already been deployed.

“Out of the 20 vehicles, we started the conversion recently. Each car costs N750,000 to convert to CNG.

“The vehicles have six-cylinder engines which consume a lot of fuel,” he said.

He explained that the rising cost of petrol had made it increasingly difficult for drivers to operate the vehicles profitably, hence the need to explore CNG as a cheaper alternative.

According to him, the authority’s drivers operating the metropolitan vehicles pay N2,000 daily for operations between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., while passengers pay between N150 and N300 per trip, depending on distance.

He said the subsidised fares were part of the state government’s intervention to make transportation more affordable for residents.

The general manager also disclosed that the authority had procured seven new 18-seater buses for N511 million to strengthen its inter-state transport operations.

He said the buses, purchased from the authority’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), cost N73 million each and had already arrived in Sokoto.

Muhammad said the buses would soon be unveiled by Gov. Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State.

He added that although each bus had a capacity of 18 passengers, the authority would limit occupancy to 16 passengers to enhance comfort and safety.

The general manager further disclosed that the authority had ordered three additional buses of similar capacity for N219 million.

Muhammad said the CNG conversion programme would be extended to the authority’s larger buses after the completion of the metropolitan vehicles.

He expressed optimism that the acquisition of new buses and transition to CNG would reduce operating costs, improve service delivery and enhance the competitiveness of the authority’s transport services.

The general manager reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and accountability in managing the authority for sustainable transportation service delivery in the state.

“Therefore, I will continue to uphold the trust reposed in me by the state government,” he said.