President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed state governments to accelerate the implementation of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme to deliver measurable reductions in transportation costs to Nigerians from October 1.

Tinubu gave the directive in a statement on Saturday, saying the Federal Government would support states in expanding CNG infrastructure, vehicle conversion and affordable public transportation.

The President said the programme followed his August 27 meeting with the governors of the 36 states, where they agreed on the objective of reducing transportation costs.

He said an implementation committee had subsequently been established under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and chaired by Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

According to Tinubu, the committee, PI-CNG & EV, state governments and other stakeholders are working to identify priority transport corridors and determine appropriate interventions ahead of October 1.

He cited existing CNG and electric transport initiatives across several states as evidence that cheaper energy could translate into lower fares.

In Borno, he said CNG-powered and electric public transport services carry commuters for between ₦50 and ₦100 on routes where commercial operators charge between ₦300 and ₦600.

He said 100 CNG buses in Kaduna provided 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, CNG buses deployed to Pacesetter Transport reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200, while alternative-energy transport services in Adamawa cut fares by up to 50 per cent.

Tinubu also cited fare reductions in Enugu, Plateau, Niger, Abia and the Federal Capital Territory, where CNG-converted commercial vehicles operating on some Abuja routes provide passengers with discounts of up to 40 per cent.

The President said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG nationwide, supported by more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 CNG refuelling stations.

He said the administration would not return to the petrol subsidy regime, which he described as costly and exposing Nigeria to fluctuations in global oil prices.

“Now we must move faster and scale this so more Nigerians feel those savings in the fares they pay every day,” Tinubu said.

He urged all states to work with transport unions and commercial operators, support vehicle conversion and fleet deployment, and ensure that savings from cheaper energy were reflected in lower fares.

He added that the Federal Government would continue to expand CNG infrastructure and conversion capacity while creating an enabling environment for states, transport operators, manufacturers and private investors.