Tinubu issues order to states

Tinubu issues order to states

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed all 36 state governments to reduce transportation fares across the country through the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme.

The President gave the directive on Saturday, September 19, urging the states to work with transport unions and commercial operators to ensure that the savings from cheaper energy are passed on to Nigerians through lower fares from October 1.

Tinubu said the directive followed his August 27 meeting with the governors, where they agreed that more Nigerians should begin to see measurable reductions in transportation costs.

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

According to Tinubu, the committee, PI-CNG, electric vehicle stakeholders, state governments and other partners have been working to identify priority transport routes, determine appropriate interventions and put the required arrangements in place.

The President said the need to reduce transportation costs had become more urgent amid the current global energy crisis, which has continued to put pressure on petrol and diesel prices.

Tinubu pointed to several states where cheaper energy has already translated into lower transport fares.

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

In Kaduna, 100 CNG-powered buses are providing free transportation on major routes. The buses reportedly carried about 3.2 million passengers in their first year of operation, saving commuters more than ₦3.5 billion in transport costs.

Tinubu said CNG buses deployed to Pacesetter Transport in Oyo State reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200 during the initial deployment.

In Adamawa, alternative-energy transport services have reduced some fares by as much as 50 per cent, from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000.

The President added that 100 CNG buses deployed in Enugu had reduced the Enugu-Nsukka fare from ₦2,500 to ₦1,500.

In Plateau State, government-supported buses reportedly carry about 13,000 commuters daily for ₦200, compared with commercial fares of more than ₦500.

Tinubu also disclosed that passengers using CNG-converted commercial vehicles on some Abuja routes are benefiting from a 40 per cent fare reduction through the Federal Government’s partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers.

He said fares from Area 1 to Gwagwalada had dropped from ₦1,500 to ₦900, while Nyanya had fallen from ₦700 to ₦420 and Wuse from ₦400 to ₦240.

In Niger State, passengers on the Suleja-Abuja route are paying ₦550 instead of about ₦800, while Abia State has deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.

Tinubu said the examples showed that lower transportation costs were already possible in different parts of the country.

He said Nigeria’s gas resources could help reduce the country’s exposure to international energy price fluctuations.

According to him, his administration has invested in developing a CNG transportation ecosystem over the past three years, with more than 120,000 vehicles already converted.

He added that Nigeria now has more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 CNG refuelling stations, with the numbers continuing to increase.

The President said the Federal Government would not return to the petrol subsidy regime, which he said consumed trillions of naira and left the economy exposed to changes in international oil prices.

He instead urged states to expand the use of CNG and other cheaper energy alternatives.

Tinubu said Edo currently has 50 CNG buses in active service, while Kano has converted more than 1,000 commercial vehicles and is expanding its conversion and refuelling network.

He added that Delta, Kwara and Lagos were expanding CNG-supported transport services, while Akwa Ibom had taken delivery of 50 CNG buses ahead of commercial operations.

The President urged all state governments to maintain momentum ahead of October 1 by working with transport unions and commercial operators, supporting vehicle conversions and fleet deployment and providing the infrastructure required.

He said the Federal Government would continue to support the expansion of CNG infrastructure, conversion capacity and participation by states, transport operators, manufacturers and private investors.

Tinubu said the objective was to ensure that the savings from cheaper energy reach Nigerians through lower transportation fares.