Tinubu Targets Lower Transport Fares Nationwide as Affordable CNG Programme Gains Momentum

Tinubu Targets Lower Transport Fares Nationwide as Affordable CNG Programme Gains Momentum

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed a renewed push to reduce transportation costs across Nigeria, with more Nigerians expected to begin benefiting from cheaper fares from October 1 through the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme.

The President disclosed this in an update on the Federal Government’s CNG and alternative-energy transportation initiatives, following his August 27 meeting with governors of the 36 states, where the need for measurable reductions in transport costs was agreed.

An implementation committee has since been established under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and is chaired by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The committee is working with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PiCNG & EV), state governments and other stakeholders to identify priority transport corridors and deploy appropriate interventions.

President Tinubu said the urgency of the programme has increased amid disruptions in global energy supplies that are putting pressure on petrol and diesel prices and, consequently, transportation costs.

He pointed to existing initiatives across the country as evidence that lower-cost energy can translate into cheaper public transportation.

In Borno, CNG-powered and electric public transport services are carrying passengers for between ₦50 and ₦100 on routes where commercial operators charge between ₦300 and ₦600.

In Kaduna, 100 CNG-powered buses provide free transportation on major routes. According to the President, the buses carried about 3.2 million passengers in their first year and saved commuters more than ₦3.5 billion in transport costs.

In Oyo, the deployment of CNG buses by Pacesetter Transport reduced the Lagos–Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200 during the initial deployment.

Similarly, alternative-energy transport services in Adamawa have reduced fares by up to 50 per cent, from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000, while in Enugu, the deployment of 100 CNG buses reduced the Enugu–Nsukka fare from ₦2,500 to ₦1,500.

In Plateau, government-supported buses transport about 13,000 commuters daily at ₦200, compared with commercial fares of more than ₦500.

The President also cited CNG-converted commercial vehicles operating on several Abuja routes under a partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). Fares have reportedly been reduced by 40 per cent, with Area 1–Gwagwalada dropping from ₦1,500 to ₦900, Nyanya from ₦700 to ₦420 and Wuse from ₦400 to ₦240.

On the Suleja–Abuja route in Niger State, passengers are paying ₦550 compared with about ₦800, while Abia State has deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.

“These are not projections. Nigerians are already experiencing these savings,” Tinubu said.

The President said the Federal Government would support states to expand the initiatives, urging governors to work closely with transport unions and commercial operators, support vehicle conversion and fleet deployment, and facilitate the infrastructure needed to sustain cheaper transportation.

He said Nigeria’s status as a gas-rich country provides an opportunity to reduce its exposure to fluctuations in global energy markets.

According to him, the administration has spent the last three years developing a CNG transportation ecosystem, with more than 120,000 vehicles converted, over 400 certified conversion centres and more than 90 CNG refuelling stations currently operating nationwide.

The government has also expanded the Presidential CNG Initiative to include electric vehicles, with PiCNG & EV now coordinating the country’s clean mobility strategy covering CNG vehicles, electric vehicles, conversion programmes and related infrastructure.

Tinubu said states including Edo, Kano, Delta, Kwara, Lagos and Akwa Ibom are also expanding their CNG-supported transport programmes. Edo has 50 CNG buses in active service, Kano has converted more than 1,000 commercial vehicles, while Akwa Ibom has taken delivery of 50 CNG buses ahead of commercial operations.

He urged all states to maintain momentum ahead of October 1 and ensure that savings from cheaper energy are reflected directly in transport fares paid by Nigerians.

“The Federal Government will continue to support the scaling of CNG infrastructure and access, expand conversion capacity, and create the enabling environment for states, transport operators, manufacturers and private investors to participate,” the President said.

He added: “Nigeria has the gas. We are building the infrastructure. We are already seeing the savings. Now we must move faster and scale this so that more Nigerians feel those savings in the fares they pay every day.”

Tinubu Targets Lower Transport Fares Nationwide as Affordable CNG Programme Gains Momentum