President Bola Tinubu announced that October 1 will be the target date for a nationwide rollout of measures aimed at lowering transportation fares through expanded use of compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric‑powered vehicles. The deadline follows an August 27 meeting with the governors of all 36 states, where they agreed to accelerate existing CNG and alternative‑energy transport programmes.
To oversee the rollout, the President said an implementation committee for the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme – PI‑CNG & EV – has been created under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and will be chaired by Kwara State Governor Abdul‑Rahman Abdul‑Razaq. The committee, together with state governments and other stakeholders, is tasked with identifying priority transport corridors, selecting appropriate interventions and putting the necessary arrangements in place.
Tinubu highlighted several state‑level successes that already demonstrate fare savings. In Borno, CNG and electric public transport now charges ₦50‑₦100 compared with commercial rates of ₦300‑₦600. Kaduna’s 100 CNG‑powered buses have provided free rides on major routes, carrying about 3.2 million passengers in a year and saving commuters more than ₦3.5 billion. Oyo’s CNG buses cut the Lagos‑Ibadan fare from roughly ₦8,000 to ₦3,200, while Adamawa, Enugu, Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory, Niger State and Abia have reported reductions ranging from 40 % to 50 % on key routes.
The President noted that over the past three years the federal government has helped build a CNG ecosystem that now includes more than 120,000 converted vehicles, over 400 certified conversion centres and more than 90 CNG refuelling stations. He rejected calls to reinstate the petrol subsidy, describing it as a “ruinous” policy that has drained trillions of naira and left the economy vulnerable to global oil price swings.
Looking ahead, Tinubu urged all state governments to maintain momentum toward the October 1 deadline. He cited Edo, Kano, Delta, Kwara, Lagos and Akwa Ibom as states expanding their C
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
