President Says States Must Deliver Measurable Savings to Commuters From October 1
President Bola Tinubu has directed the 36 states to accelerate implementation of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, with the aim of reducing transportation costs for Nigerians from October 1, 2026.
President Tinubu disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, saying the initiative was agreed upon with state governors during a meeting on August 27.
He said an implementation committee had been established under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, chaired by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The President said the committee, the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles, states and other stakeholders were working to identify priority transport corridors and determine appropriate interventions.
President Tinubu cited examples of reduced fares in states where CNG and electric-powered transport have been deployed.
In Borno, he said CNG and electric public transport services carry passengers for between ₦50 and ₦100 on routes where commercial operators charge ₦300 to ₦600.
He said 100 CNG buses in Kaduna provide free transportation on major routes and carried about 3.2 million passengers in their first year, saving commuters more than ₦3.5 billion.
In Oyo, President Tinubu said the deployment of CNG buses by Pacesetter Transport reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200 during the initial deployment.
He also cited fare reductions in Adamawa, Enugu, Plateau, Abuja and Niger, while saying Abia had deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.
President Tinubu said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG over the past three years, while Nigeria now has more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 CNG refuelling stations.
He said the government would continue supporting CNG infrastructure, vehicle conversion and fleet deployment, while urging states to work with transport unions and operators to ensure that savings from cheaper energy translate into lower fares.
“Above all, ensure that savings from cheaper energy reach Nigerian citizens through lower fares,” President Tinubu said.
The President’s statement comes a day after former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar called for measures to reduce petrol prices and ease the cost-of-living burden on Nigerians.
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, said high petrol prices had increased transportation, logistics and food costs and urged the Federal Government to take immediate action.