Tinubu Pushes States To Speed Up CNG Rollout, Says Cheaper Fares Must Reach Nigerians By October

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged state governments to accelerate implementation of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme ahead of October 1, insisting that cheaper energy must translate into lower transportation fares for Nigerians.

The President said an implementation committee under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, chaired by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is working with states to identify priority transport corridors and establish the infrastructure needed to expand affordable transportation nationwide.

Tinubu cited significant results already recorded in several states, including Kaduna, where 100 CNG powered buses carried about 3.2 million passengers in their first year and saved commuters more than N3.5 billion, and Enugu, where fares on the Enugu Nsukka route fell from N2,500 to N1,500.

He also pointed to Oyo State, where CNG buses deployed by Pacesetter Transport reduced the Lagos Ibadan fare from about N8,000 to N3,200, and to Adamawa and Plateau States, where alternative energy transport is delivering fares well below commercial rates.

The President highlighted Abuja, where partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers has cut fares on several routes by about 40 percent, including the Area 1 to Gwagwalada route falling from N1,500 to N900, and Niger State, where the Suleja Abuja route now costs N550 compared with about N800 previously.

Tinubu rejected calls for a return to the petrol subsidy regime, describing it as unsustainable and saying it had exposed the economy to every movement in international oil prices, insisting the government would instead accelerate cheaper domestic alternatives.

He disclosed that more than 120,000 vehicles have been converted to CNG nationwide, with the country now boasting over 400 certified conversion centres and more than 90 CNG refuelling stations, figures he said continue to grow daily.

The President listed Edo, Kano, Delta, Kwara, Lagos and Akwa Ibom among states expanding their CNG and alternative energy transport programmes, with Edo already running 50 CNG buses and Kano having converted more than 1,000 commercial vehicles.

Tinubu urged all state governments to sustain the momentum toward October 1 by working with transport unions and commercial operators, stressing that the Federal Government would continue supporting the scaling of CNG infrastructure so that more Nigerians feel the savings in the fares they pay every day.

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed