President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised Kaduna State’s free Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) mass transit programme, describing the initiative as a practical example of how subnational governments can ease the economic burden on citizens.

Tinubu said more interventions of this nature were needed across the states, particularly measures capable of lowering transportation costs and reducing pressure on household finances.

The President’s commendation comes as the Federal Government and the 36 state governments intensify efforts to implement the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme and deliver significant reductions in commuting costs from October 1.

Tinubu had met with the governors on August 27, where coordinated measures were agreed upon to provide Nigerians with relief from rising transportation expenses.

Following the meeting, an implementation committee was established under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, with Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, appointed to head the committee.

The committee is working with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, state governments and other stakeholders to identify priority transport routes, determine suitable interventions and develop an operational framework for the programme.

The initiative has gained added urgency amid disruptions to global energy supplies, which have placed renewed pressure on petrol and diesel prices and contributed to rising transportation costs internationally.

The Federal Government has maintained that Nigeria’s substantial gas reserves provide an opportunity to reduce the country’s exposure to fluctuations in the international energy market.

Tinubu has also consistently argued against a return to the petrol subsidy regime, saying it would leave the economy vulnerable to global oil price movements while diverting funds needed for development.

As part of efforts to support states already adopting CNG-powered transportation, the Federal Government plans to assist them in expanding interventions that can provide immediate and measurable relief to commuters.

Kaduna State has emerged as one of the states implementing such measures, with its free CNG mass transit programme operating a fleet of 100 CNG-powered buses.

The scheme has recorded approximately 3.2 million passenger trips and reportedly saved commuters more than ₦3.5 billion within its first year of operation.

Reacting to the President’s commendation, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani thanked Tinubu for recognising the initiative and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to policies aimed at protecting vulnerable households and improving access to essential services.

Sani said the state had continued to pursue interventions in areas including the reduction of out-of-school children, vocational training and skills development, alongside its CNG mass transit programme.

He said Kaduna remained the only subnational government providing free CNG mass transit rides to its citizens, adding that the savings recorded by commuters demonstrated the impact of the scheme in cushioning the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

The governor said his administration would continue to prioritise policies that reduce the financial burden on vulnerable residents and ensure that the benefits of governance are felt by ordinary citizens.

The Kaduna initiative is anchored on the administration’s position that the effectiveness of public policy should ultimately be measured by its impact on citizens’ daily lives, rather than solely by government spending or official declarations.