By Eddah Waithaka
Riva Petroleum Dealers Limited and Vivo Energy Kenya marked three decades of partnership this week, cementing a relationship that stands as Shell’s longest-running distributor alliance in the country.
From its humble beginnings as a Shell lubricants reseller, Riva Petroleum has evolved into a major distributor, growing from a single-brand operator into a nationwide network. The company’s journey from reseller to full distributor in 2012 demonstrates what vision, passion, and purpose can achieve, even through difficult economic landscapes.
“The lubricants business is highly competitive and presents its share of challenges,” said Vivo Energy Kenya Managing Director Peter Murungi during the 30th anniversary celebrations. “Yet throughout the years, our two organizations have worked side by side, navigating changing market dynamics and industry headwinds with determination and confidence. Together, we have not only weathered those challenges but emerged stronger because of them.”
The partnership reached several significant milestones:
· 2012: Riva Petroleum became a Shell Lubricants Distributor and adopted the FMCG model of operations.
· 2016: Riva Petroleum expanded its lubricants distribution network, strengthening its presence across the Kenyan market.
· 2025: Riva Petroleum became the first Vivo Energy Kenya distributor to implement VERA, a Vivo Energy digital end-to-end Order-to-Cash platform, demonstrating its commitment to innovation and operational excellence.
Murungi highlighted the trust that underpins the relationship, noting that in 2012, Riva received the ELNET Mark of Ethics from the Ethical Leadership Network, recognizing organizations that demonstrate exceptional ethical leadership and governance. “One of the greatest assets any business can possess is trust,” he said. “This recognition speaks volumes about the values that have guided the business.”
Riva Petroleum Founder and Managing Director, Eng. Peter Njeru Njagi, attributed the company’s longevity to resilience, strong partnerships, and integrity. “Thirty years can feel like just another year, but this milestone reflects the contribution of many: support from financial institutions such as KCB Bank, our business partners and our suppliers,” Njagi said. “The growth of Riva has taught us that nothing is impossible.”
Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, H.E. Lee Kinyanjui, affirmed the government’s commitment to supporting businesses as they scale. “Our role is to create an enabling environment where family-owned businesses can grow into major corporates, access the capital markets and compete regionally and globally,” Kinyanjui stated. “The success of companies like RIVA demonstrates the potential of homegrown enterprises to drive industrialisation, create jobs and contribute to Kenya’s economic growth.”
KCB Group CEO Paul Russo, EBS, emphasized that future business success will depend on people, technology, and collaboration. “No organization succeeds in isolation. Sustainable growth is built through collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to creating value for customers and communities,” Russo said.
Founded in Nakuru in 1996 by Njagi, a University of Nairobi-trained civil engineer who left the Ministry of Works’ Roads Department after eleven years, Riva Petroleum—short for Rift Valley Petroleum—now employs approximately 200 people across its fuel and lubricants operations. The company distributes to more than 4,000 retail and trade outlets nationwide, with warehouses in Nakuru, Nairobi, and Embu. In 28 of Kenya’s 47 counties, Riva stands as the sole Shell-branded lubricants distributor of record, with a last-mile delivery footprint extending as far as Moyale on the Ethiopian border.
Looking ahead, both Vivo Energy Kenya and Riva Petroleum have identified digital transformation, new last-mile delivery models, and growing demand for cleaner energy products as key opportunities. The next chapter for Riva also involves a generational transition, as younger family members have begun seeking roles in the business.
“The structures that will matter,” Murungi noted, “are the ones that outlive any individual.”
