President Bola Tinubu has directed all 36 states of Nigeria to accelerate the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, asserting that commuters must begin to see measurable reductions in transportation fares starting October 1. In a statement released on Saturday, September 19, the President stated that this initiative follows an August 27 meeting with state governors, where officials agreed on the objective of lowering transportation costs for Nigerians.
To drive the implementation of this directive, an implementation committee for the CNG programme has been established under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. The committee is chaired by Kwara State Governor and NGF Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Tinubu emphasized that the goal is not merely theoretical, stating, “These are not projections. Nigerians are already experiencing these savings,” while pointing to existing deployments of CNG and electric transport across the country.
The President cited specific examples of fare reductions already in effect to demonstrate the viability of the programme. In Borno State, CNG and electric public transport charges range between ₦50 and ₦100, compared to commercial rates of ₦300–₦600. In Kaduna, 100 CNG-powered buses have provided free transportation on major routes, carrying approximately 3.2 million passengers in their first year and saving commuters over ₦3.5 billion. Additionally, in Oyo State, CNG buses deployed to Pacesetter Transport reduced the Lagos–Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200, while services in Adamawa State have cut fares by up to 50 per cent, from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000.
Further reductions have been recorded in other states, including Enugu, where 100 CNG buses lowered the Enugu–Nsukka fare from ₦2,500 to ₦1,500, and Plateau, where government-supported buses carry about 13,000 commuters daily at ₦200, compared to commercial rates exceeding ₦500. In Abuja, CNG-converted commercial vehicles operating in partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) offer a 40 per cent fare reduction on several routes, such as Area 1–Gwagwalada, which dropped from ₦1,500 to ₦900. Other notable examples include the Suleja–Abuja service in Niger State, where fares fell from about ₦800 to ₦550, and Abia State, where 40 electric buses have been deployed with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.
Acknowledging renewed pressure on petrol and diesel prices from global energy disruptions, Tinubu argued that Nigeria cannot control international oil markets but can reduce its exposure by leveraging domestic gas. He noted that his administration has spent the last three years building a CNG transportation ecosystem, resulting in more than 120,000 converted vehicles, over 400 certified conversion centres, and more than 90 CNG refuelling stations nationwide. “At a time like this, our answer cannot be to return to the ruinous petrol subsidy regime that consumed trillions of naira and left our economy exposed to every movement in international oil prices, as some have suggested,” he said.
While commending states that have moved quickly, such as Edo with 50 active CNG buses and Kano with over 1,000 converted commercial vehicles, the President warned that more must be done to maintain momentum toward the October 1 deadline. He urged governors to work with transport unions and commercial operators to support conversion, fleet deployment, and infrastructure facilitation. “Nigeria has the gas. We are building the infrastructure. We are already seeing the savings,” Tinubu concluded, pledging continued federal support to scale CNG infrastructure and ensure that savings from cheaper energy reach citizens through lower daily fares.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
