President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and state governors have agreed to work towards reducing transport fares nationwide from October 1, 2026, by passing the benefits of cheaper fuel to commuters.
Tinubu disclosed this on Thursday, August 27, following a meeting with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, saying the governors had agreed to take immediate measures to reduce transportation costs in their respective states.
According to the President, the initiative will focus on the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles, which he said could significantly reduce the cost of running public transportation.
He said a vehicle powered by CNG could spend between 60 and 80 per cent less on fuel than a petrol-powered vehicle.
“The goal is that Nigerians begin to partake in those savings through lower transport fares from October 1,” Tinubu said.
The President said the Federal Government had already invested heavily in the country’s energy transition through the Presidential CNG Initiative.
He disclosed that more than 120,000 vehicles had so far been converted to CNG nationwide, while over 100,000 additional conversion kits were being processed.
Tinubu added that the government was expanding CNG conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure across the country.
He said the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund was financing more than 100 gas projects nationwide, including 15 CNG mother stations and 86 daughter stations.
According to him, four of the projects were commissioned in May in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri, including a 15-station CNG refuelling network in Lagos and an Abuja facility capable of serving 1,000 cars and tricycles, as well as 50 trucks and buses daily.
The President further disclosed that 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 said, would bring the planned number of CNG refuelling stations under the programme to 1,000 across the country.
Tinubu noted that intra-state transportation was where Nigerians experienced the impact of transport costs most directly, stressing that state governments had a key role to play in reducing fares.
He said a joint Federal and State committee would be established to begin implementing the measures immediately.
“We have agreed that cheaper fuel should result in cheaper fares,” the President said.
Tinubu urged all tiers of government to continue working together to ensure that Nigerians benefit from the savings expected from the transition to cheaper and cleaner energy.
“Each tier of government must keep doing its part and work together for the benefit of every Nigerian,” he added.
The President concluded the statement with his administration’s slogan: “Nigeria First.”
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