President Bola Tinubu has announced a fresh Federal Government and state-level push to reduce transportation costs nationwide, with governors resolving to begin immediate measures aimed at lowering fares through greater use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric vehicles.
Tinubu disclosed this after meeting with the Governors’ Forum, saying the initiative was designed to ensure that Nigerians begin to feel the benefits of the country’s ongoing energy transition directly in their daily transportation costs.
According to the President, the governors independently agreed to take steps within their respective states to bring down intra-state transportation costs, where the impact of rising fuel prices is felt most directly by citizens.
He said the Federal Government had already invested significantly in building the infrastructure required to make cheaper and cleaner transportation possible.
“Through the Presidential CNG Initiative, over 120,000 vehicles have been converted nationwide, with more than 100,000 additional conversion kits in the works,” Tinubu said, adding that conversion centres and refuelling facilities were also being expanded across the country.
Further strengthening the initiative, the President said the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund was financing more than 100 gas projects nationwide, comprising 15 CNG mother stations and 86 daughter stations.
Tinubu noted that he commissioned four of the projects in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri in May, including a 15-station refuelling network in Lagos and an Abuja facility capable of serving 1,000 cars and tricycles as well as 50 trucks and buses daily.
In another major expansion, the President said he had directed the rollout of an additional 500 CNG refuelling stations nationwide, on top of the 500 stations previously ordered by the Fund.
This, he explained, would bring the planned nationwide network to 1,000 CNG refuelling stations, a move expected to improve accessibility and encourage more motorists and transport operators to switch from petrol.
Tinubu stressed that intra-state transportation remained a critical area for government intervention because it directly affects the daily lives and household budgets of Nigerians.
He expressed optimism that the governors’ latest commitment would bring the benefits of cheaper alternative fuel closer to commuters across the country.
To drive implementation, Tinubu said a joint Federal and State committee would be established immediately to coordinate the measures and ensure that the planned reduction in transportation costs translates into tangible benefits for citizens.
“A vehicle running on CNG spends 60 to 80 per cent less on fuel than one running on petrol,” the President said.
He announced October 1 as the target date for Nigerians to begin benefiting from the anticipated savings through lower transport fares.
“Our goal is that Nigerians begin to partake in those savings through lower transport fares,” Tinubu said.
“We have agreed that cheaper fuel should result in cheaper fares!”
The President also called on all tiers of government to sustain cooperation in delivering the initiative, stressing that the ultimate objective was to ease the financial pressure on Nigerians while advancing the country’s transition to alternative energy.
“Each tier of government must keep doing its part and work together for the benefit of every Nigerian,” he said.
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