President Bola Tinubu has directed state governments to ensure that savings from cheaper compressed natural gas, or CNG, translate into lower transport fares for Nigerians from October 1.
Tinubu gave the directive on Saturday while updating Nigerians on the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, established after his August 27 meeting with the 36 state governors.
According to the President, the objective agreed with the governors is for more Nigerians to begin experiencing “measurable reductions in transportation costs” from October 1.
He urged state governments to work with transport unions and commercial operators, support vehicle conversion and fleet deployment, and provide the infrastructure required to expand alternative-energy transportation.
“Above all, ensure that savings from cheaper energy reach Nigerian citizens through lower fares,” Tinubu said.
The President said several states were already recording significant reductions through CNG-powered and electric buses.
In Borno, CNG-powered and electric public transport services carry commuters for between N50 and N100 on routes where commercial operators charge between N300 and N600.
In Kaduna, 100 CNG-powered buses have provided free transportation on major routes. Tinubu said the buses carried about 3.2 million passengers during their first year and saved commuters more than N3.5bn in transport costs.
In Oyo, he said CNG buses deployed to Pacesetter Transport reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about N8,000 to N3,200 during the initial deployment.
Alternative-energy transit services in Adamawa have cut fares by as much as 50 per cent, from N8,000 to N4,000, while 100 CNG buses in Enugu reduced the Enugu-Nsukka fare from N2,500 to N1,500.
In Plateau, government-supported buses carry about 13,000 commuters daily at N200, compared with more than N500 charged by commercial operators.
Tinubu also cited Abuja routes where CNG-converted commercial vehicles operating through a partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers provide passengers with a 40 per cent fare reduction.
Area 1 to Gwagwalada, for instance, has dropped from N1,500 to N900, while fares from Nyanya fell from N700 to N420 and Wuse from N400 to N240.
On the Suleja-Abuja route in Niger State, passengers are paying N550 compared with about N800, while Abia has deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.
“These are not projections. Nigerians are already experiencing these savings,” the President said.
Tinubu said the Federal Government had invested heavily in expanding the CNG ecosystem as global disruptions continue to put pressure on petrol and diesel prices.
He said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG over the past three years, while Nigeria now has more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 CNG refuelling stations.
The administration expanded the Presidential Initiative on CNG in March 2026 to include electric vehicles, with the initiative now coordinating CNG and electric mobility programmes nationwide.
Tinubu also highlighted CNG developments in Edo, Kano, Delta, Kwara, Lagos and Akwa Ibom. Edo has 50 CNG buses in active service, while Kano has converted more than 1,000 commercial vehicles. Delta, Kwara and Lagos are expanding CNG-supported transport services, while Akwa Ibom has taken delivery of 50 CNG buses ahead of commercial operations.
The President said Nigeria’s gas reserves provide an opportunity to reduce the country’s exposure to international energy-price shocks.
He also rejected calls for a return to the former petrol subsidy regime, arguing that Nigeria should instead accelerate the cheaper alternatives being developed domestically.
“I encourage every State to maintain the momentum towards October 1,” Tinubu said.
“Now we must move faster and scale this so that more Nigerians feel those savings in the fares they pay every day.”
