President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed states to sustain efforts to reduce transportation costs through the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, saying more Nigerians should begin to experience measurable reductions in fares from October 1.
Tinubu gave the assurance in an update on the programme issued on Saturday, September 19, 2026, following an August 27 meeting with the governors of the 36 states. ([State House][1])
The President said an implementation committee had subsequently been established under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, chaired by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to coordinate the initiative.
He said the committee, PI-CNG & EV, state governments and other stakeholders were working to identify priority transport corridors, determine appropriate interventions and put the necessary arrangements in place.
Tinubu said the urgency of the programme had increased amid disruptions in global energy supplies, which were putting pressure on petrol and diesel prices and, consequently, transportation costs.
According to him, several states are already recording significant reductions in transport fares following the deployment of CNG and electric-powered vehicles.
In Borno, he said CNG-powered and electric public transport services were moving commuters for between ₦50 and ₦100 on routes where commercial operators charge between ₦300 and ₦600.
He said Kaduna had deployed 100 CNG-powered buses for free transportation on major routes, with the buses carrying about 3.2 million passengers in their first year and saving commuters more than ₦3.5 billion in transport costs.
In Oyo, Tinubu said CNG buses deployed to Pacesetter Transport reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200 during the initial deployment, while alternative-energy transit services in Adamawa reduced fares by as much as 50 per cent, from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000.
The President also cited Enugu, where he said 100 CNG buses had been deployed, reducing the Enugu-Nsukka fare from ₦2,500 to ₦1,500.
In Plateau, government-supported buses reportedly carry about 13,000 commuters daily at ₦200, compared with more than ₦500 charged commercially.
Tinubu said the Federal Government’s partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) had also resulted in fare reductions on several Abuja commuter routes.
He gave examples including Area 1-Gwagwalada, where fares had fallen from ₦1,500 to ₦900; Nyanya, from ₦700 to ₦420; and Wuse, from ₦400 to ₦240.
In Niger State, he said passengers on the Suleja-Abuja route were paying ₦550 instead of about ₦800, while Abia had deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.
“These are not projections. Nigerians are already experiencing these savings,” Tinubu said.
The President said his administration had spent the past three years building a CNG transportation ecosystem across the country as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s exposure to fluctuations in international energy markets.
He disclosed that more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG, while the country now had over 400 certified conversion centres and more than 90 CNG refuelling stations.
Tinubu said the Federal Government would continue to support the expansion of CNG infrastructure and conversion capacity while creating an enabling environment for state governments, transport operators, manufacturers and private investors.
He also urged states to work closely with transport unions and commercial operators, support vehicle conversion and fleet deployment, and facilitate the infrastructure needed to expand CNG-powered transportation.
“Above all, ensure that savings from cheaper energy reach Nigerian citizens through lower fares,” he told the states.
The President further urged states to maintain momentum ahead of October 1, saying the objective was to ensure that the benefits of cheaper energy translated into lower transportation costs for more Nigerians.
“Now we must move faster and scale this so that more Nigerians feel those savings in the fares they pay every day,” Tinubu said.
