By Amofokhai Williams
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed state governments to accelerate the implementation of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, with the Federal Government targeting measurable reductions in transportation costs from October 1.
Tinubu said the objective was agreed with the 36 state governors during a meeting on August 27, following which an implementation committee was established under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and chaired by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The President, in an update on Saturday, said the committee, the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PiCNG & EV), state governments and other stakeholders were already working to identify priority transport corridors and determine appropriate interventions.
He said the urgency of the programme had increased amid pressure on global energy supplies and the resulting effect on petrol and diesel prices.
Tinubu pointed to several states where he said cheaper energy had already translated into lower public transport fares.
In Borno State, he said CNG-powered and electric public transport services were carrying passengers for between ₦50 and ₦100 on routes where commercial operators charge between ₦300 and ₦600.
In Kaduna, the President said 100 CNG-powered buses were providing free transportation on major routes and had carried about 3.2 million passengers during their first year, saving commuters more than ₦3.5 billion in transport costs.
Tinubu said CNG buses deployed to Pacesetter Transport in Oyo State had reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200 during the initial deployment.
In Adamawa, he said alternative-energy transit services had reduced fares by as much as 50 per cent, from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000, while in Enugu, 100 CNG buses had helped reduce the Enugu-Nsukka fare from ₦2,500 to ₦1,500.
The President also cited Plateau State, where government-supported buses reportedly carry about 13,000 commuters daily at ₦200, compared with more than ₦500 charged by commercial operators.
According to Tinubu, passengers using CNG-converted commercial vehicles on some Abuja commuter routes under a partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers receive fare reductions of up to 40 per cent.
He cited Area 1-Gwagwalada, where the fare has fallen from ₦1,500 to ₦900; Nyanya, from ₦700 to ₦420; and Wuse, from ₦400 to ₦240.
The President added that passengers on the Suleja-Abuja route in Niger State were paying ₦550 instead of about ₦800, while Abia State had 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 programmes, urging governors to work with transport unions and commercial operators, support vehicle conversions and fleet deployment, and facilitate the infrastructure required to sustain lower fares.
Tinubu said Nigeria’s exposure to international energy price movements could be reduced by making greater use of its domestic gas resources.
He said his administration had spent the past three years developing a CNG transportation ecosystem across the country, adding that more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted, while there were more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 CNG refuelling stations.
“The Federal Government has also expanded the mandate of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas to include electric vehicles. The rebranded PiCNG & EV is responsible for coordinating the deployment of CNG infrastructure, vehicle conversions and electric mobility initiatives nationwide,” he said.
In May, Tinubu commissioned CNG infrastructure projects in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri as part of the government’s wider effort to expand domestic gas utilisation and reduce transportation costs. The projects included refuelling facilities and vehicle conversion centres.
Tinubu, however, ruled out a return to the petrol subsidy regime, arguing that Nigeria should instead accelerate alternatives based on domestic energy resources.
“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,” he said.
He urged states to maintain momentum towards October 1, saying the success of the programme would ultimately depend on whether savings from cheaper energy were reflected in the fares paid by commuters.
The President also listed developments in Edo, Kano, Delta, Kwara, Lagos and Akwa Ibom, including CNG bus deployments, commercial vehicle conversions and expansion of refuelling infrastructure.
He said the Federal Government would continue to support CNG infrastructure, expand conversion capacity and create an enabling environment for states, transport operators, manufacturers and private investors.
“Nigeria has the gas. We are building the infrastructure. We are already seeing the savings,” Tinubu said, adding that the government must accelerate the rollout so that more Nigerians benefit from lower transportation costs.
