President Bola Tinubu has directed states to accelerate the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme ahead of October 1, citing existing fare reductions from CNG and electric transport services across Nigeria.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set October 1 as the target for more Nigerians to begin experiencing measurable reductions in transportation costs under the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme.
President Tinubu disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, September 19, 2026, saying the objective was agreed with the governors of the 36 states during a meeting on August 27.
An implementation committee has since been established under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, chaired by Kwara State Governor and NGF Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The committee is working with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), state governments and other stakeholders to identify priority transport corridors and determine appropriate interventions.
The President said the push had become more urgent amid disruptions in global energy supplies that are putting pressure on petrol and diesel prices and increasing transportation costs.
Tinubu cited existing CNG and electric-vehicle transport programmes across several states as evidence of the potential impact of alternative energy on fares.
In Borno, he said CNG-powered and electric public transport services charge between ₦50 and ₦100 on routes where commercial operators charge between ₦300 and ₦600.
In Kaduna, 100 CNG-powered buses provide free transportation on major routes. According to the President, the buses carried about 3.2 million passengers in their first year and saved commuters more than ₦3.5 billion in transport costs.
In Oyo, 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 have reduced fares by as much as 50 percent, from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000.
Tinubu also said the deployment of 100 CNG buses in Enugu had reduced 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 commercial fares of more than ₦500.
The President further cited CNG-converted commercial vehicles operating on Abuja routes under a partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers. He said fares had fallen by 40 percent on routes including Area 1-Gwagwalada, Nyanya and Wuse.
Other examples cited included the Suleja-Abuja route in Niger State, where passengers reportedly pay ₦550 compared with about ₦800, and Abia State, which has deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 percent.
Tinubu said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG over the past three years, while the country now has more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 CNG refuelling stations.
He urged state governments to accelerate their preparations for October 1 by working with transport unions and commercial operators, supporting vehicle conversion and fleet deployment, and facilitating the infrastructure required to expand affordable transport services.
The President said the Federal Government would continue to support the expansion of CNG infrastructure and access, increase conversion capacity and create an enabling environment for states, transport operators, manufacturers and private investors.
He also ruled out a return to the petrol subsidy regime, arguing that Nigeria should instead accelerate the development of domestic alternatives such as CNG.
Tinubu said several states were already expanding their programmes. Edo has 50 CNG buses in active service, Kano has converted more than 1,000 commercial vehicles, while Delta, Kwara and Lagos are expanding CNG-supported transport services. Akwa Ibom, he added, had taken delivery of 50 CNG buses ahead of commercial operations.
The Federal Government expanded the mandate of Pi-CNG in March 2026 to include electric vehicles, making it the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles. The initiative is responsible for coordinating CNG infrastructure, vehicle conversion programmes and electric-vehicle deployment nationwide.
Tinubu said the goal was to ensure that lower energy costs translate into lower fares for Nigerians.
“Nigeria has the gas. We are building the infrastructure. We are already seeing the savings,” he said, urging stakeholders to accelerate the rollout so that more Nigerians benefit from reduced transportation costs.
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