President Bola Tinubu has said cheaper fuel should translate into cheaper transport fares, following discussions with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on measures to reduce the cost of transportation nationwide.

In a statement on Thursday, the president said he was pleased with the meeting and that the governors had, on their own initiative, resolved to take immediate steps to bring down transport costs in their states. He said the focus would be on using the cost advantages of compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles.

Tinubu also directed the rollout of an additional 500 CNG refuelling stations nationwide, in addition to 500 already planned earlier in the year, bringing the total under the Presidential CNG Initiative to 1,000.

He said the expansion was especially important for intra-state travel, where commuters feel the impact most directly.

According to the president, a vehicle running on CNG spends 60 to 80 per cent less on fuel than one running on petrol. The goal, he said, is for Nigerians to begin seeing those savings through lower fares from 1 October.

The governors had earlier received a presentation on a proposed National Affordable CNG Transit Programme.

The plan envisages state support for vehicle conversions, CNG fleets and infrastructure, alongside fare commitments from participating operators.