President Bola Tinubu has directed state governments to ensure that Nigerians begin to experience noticeable reductions in transportation fares from October 1 through the expansion of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme.

Tinubu said the initiative followed a meeting with the 36 state governors on August 27, where they agreed to work towards reducing transportation costs by taking advantage of cheaper energy sources, particularly compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles.

The President said an implementation committee had been established under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to coordinate the programme and ensure that the benefits of lower energy costs are passed on to commuters.

He pointed to existing CNG and electric transport services in several states as evidence that alternative energy could reduce transportation expenses.

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

In Kaduna, 100 CNG buses currently provide free transportation on major routes. Tinubu said the buses transported about 3.2 million passengers in their first year and helped commuters save more than ₦3.5 billion.

He also cited Oyo State, where CNG buses deployed by Pacesetter Transport reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200 during the initial phase of the programme.

According to him, alternative-energy transport services in Adamawa have reduced fares by as much as 50 per cent, from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000, while 100 CNG buses in Enugu reduced the Enugu-Nsukka fare from ₦2,500 to ₦1,500.

In Plateau State, government-supported buses transport about 13,000 commuters daily for ₦200, compared with more than ₦500 charged by commercial operators.

Tinubu also highlighted Abuja, where CNG-converted commercial vehicles operating through a partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers have reportedly reduced fares by 40 per cent on several routes.

He said the Area 1-Gwagwalada fare had dropped from ₦1,500 to ₦900, while the Nyanya route fell from ₦700 to ₦420 and Wuse from ₦400 to ₦240.

On the Suleja-Abuja route in Niger State, passengers now pay about ₦550 instead of ₦800, while Abia State has deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.

The President said more states were expanding their alternative-energy transport programmes. He noted that Edo had 50 CNG buses in operation, while Kano had converted more than 1,000 commercial vehicles. Delta, Kwara and Lagos are also expanding CNG-supported transport services, while Akwa Ibom has received 50 CNG buses ahead of commercial operations.

Tinubu said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG over the past three years, with more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 CNG refuelling stations currently available.

He urged state governments to work with transport unions and commercial operators, expand vehicle conversion and deployment, and ensure that savings from cheaper energy are reflected in the fares paid by commuters.

The Federal Government, he added, would continue supporting the expansion of CNG infrastructure and conversion capacity while encouraging greater participation by transport operators, manufacturers and private investors.