Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Plateau, Enugu Deploy CNG Buses to Cut Transport Fares

Our Correspondents

Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Plateau and Enugu states have adopted different measures to reduce transportation costs, with the states deploying or expanding the use of CNG and government-subsidised buses following the federal government’s directive for Nigerians to begin experiencing measurable reductions in transport fares from October 1.

While Kwara, Ekiti, Plateau and Enugu have commenced or expanded subsidised bus services, Lagos has taken delivery of additional CNG buses but yet to announce the commencement of a new fare-reduction scheme under the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme.

Across the states, however, the response to the federal initiative has remained uneven, reflecting differences in infrastructure, fleet availability, conversion costs and the operating challenges confronting commercial transporters.

The development followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the 36 state governments to accelerate implementation of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme after his August 27 meeting with the governors.

The President had directed that Nigerians should begin to see “measurable reductions in transportation costs” from October 1, urging state governments to work with transport unions and commercial operators, support vehicle conversion and fleet deployment, and facilitate the infrastructure required for the transition.

However, while government-backed schemes in Kwara, Ekiti, Plateau and Enugu have produced cheaper fares on selected routes, commercial operators in several other states continue to resist fare reductions, citing high petrol prices, spare-parts costs, maintenance expenses and other operating challenges.

This comes as former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, called on the administration of President Bola Tinubu to emulate Germany, which recently reduced fuel tax.

The Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles had stated that more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted and more than 90 refueling stations established nationwide.

Also, the Presidential CNG Initiative maintained that fare reductions had already begun on some routes and that October 1 was the point at which the federal government would begin monitoring the rollout rather than a requirement for every state to cut fares simultaneously.

A THISDAY review of developments across some states following President Tinubu’s directive that Nigerians should begin to experience measurable reductions in transport costs from October 1, showed that the response varied considerably.

In Rivers, Ogun, Benue, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Taraba, it was gathered that high petrol prices and other operating costs made an immediate reduction in transport fare difficult.

In Plateau State, for instance, the government said it was relying on its Tin City Metro Bus scheme to provide relief for commuters while it works towards adopting CNG.

The Commissioner for Transport, Davou Gyang Jatau, said passengers travelling between Anguldi and Farin Gada, a distance of about 23 kilometres, pay N200, while a return journey covering about 46 kilometres costs N400.

He described the Metro Bus initiative as the state’s most effective intervention for shielding residents from rising transportation costs, even as the government works to establish the infrastructure necessary for CNG adoption.

The state had signed an agreement with the National Institute for Transport Technology, Zaria, to establish a vehicle conversion centre in Jos. However, Jatau identified inadequate CNG refuelling infrastructure as a major obstacle.

The state is therefore exploring a “mother-and-daughter” station model for gas distribution, while continuing with the Metro Bus programme.

In Kwara, the Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Aliyu Sabi, yesterday said the federal government had supplied the state with 20 CNG buses to cushion the effect of the increase in fuel prices in the country.

He said the affected buses had commenced operations at various motor parks, conveying passengers to other parts of the state, especially on the Ilorin-Abuja, Ilorin-Lagos and Ilorin-Enugu routes, among others.

The commissioner, however explained: “The state government is currently expecting another 10 buses from the federal government that will take care of workers, students, residents, among others.”

This, he said, would assist the state government in complying with the federal government’s directive to make life more bearable for residents of the state.

He therefore said the government would leave no stone unturned in addressing the present economic hardship facing the people of the country, especially residents of the state.

Similarly, the Ekiti State Government has commenced moves aimed at reducing transport fares by 50 per cent across the state, with the deployment of CNG buses to cushion the effect of transportation costs on residents.

The state governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, said the deployment of the CNG buses marked a major step in the government’s move to reduce transport costs for citizens in line with President Tinubu’s directive.

He added that the state had commenced the process of cutting transport fares by 59 per cent through the rollout of 15 CNG buses donated to the state by the federal government as part of efforts to promote affordable and accessible public transportation, adding that the state would expand the fleet of vehicles to serve residents better.

Governor Oyebanji, who was accompanied by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, at the official flag-off of the vehicles at the premises of the Ekiti State Transportation Agency in Ado Ekiti, said the government would continue to explore avenues to reduce the burden on citizens.

Speaking with journalists shortly after inspecting the fleet of vehicles, Governor Oyebanji expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the intervention, noting that the provision of the buses would contribute significantly to reducing the burden of transportation on the people. He added that the initiative demonstrates the commitment of both the state and federal governments to improving the welfare of the people.

Speaking on the deployment of the buses, the Director-General of the Ekiti State Transportation Agency, Hon. Tajudeen Akingbolu, said routes had been mapped out for the CNG buses to operate from Ado Ekiti to Lagos, Ibadan, Onitsha and Abuja, adding that the initiative would provide residents with more affordable and reliable interstate transportation while reducing the burden of high transport fares.

Lagos recently took delivery of 20 additional high-capacity CNG buses from the federal government. But the state is yet to announce the commencement of the transport fare reduction scheme under the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme.

The latest delivery brings the number of CNG buses in Lagos’ regulated public transport system to about 170, from approximately 150 previously, according to LAMATA Managing Director, Abimbola Akinajo.

The buses are expected to boost capacity on routes with identified gaps, including the Ikorodu-Tafawa Balewa Square corridor.

The Lagos State Government has not publicly announced a new fare structure, specific commencement date or routes under the federal government’s latest fare-reduction intervention.

This is significant because the federal government’s directive was aimed not merely at deploying CNG buses, but at ensuring that the lower operating costs associated with CNG and electric mobility translate into reduced transportation costs for commuters.

In Enugu State, the difference between government-supported transport and commercial operations is also evident.

While fares have been reduced by more than 50 per cent on routes covered by government-owned CNG buses, commercial transport operators have yet to reduce their charges.

The Public Relations Officer of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Enugu State chapter, Ralph Edeh, said it was unrealistic to expect operators to cut fares while fuel, spare parts and other costs remained high.

“It is still within the realm of wishful thinking for anybody to ask transport operators to start slashing down fares when the cost of fuel, motor spare parts, among other factors, are still very high,” he said.

The situation is different in Rivers State, where the NURTW chairman, Boma Tom-George, linked any reduction in fares directly to the price of petrol.

“We sell as we buy. Since we are using fuel and fuel price remains where it is. It is when it is reduced that the leadership of the union will also see how to reduce transport costs,” he said.

He argued that transport operators could not sustainably lower fares while their principal operating cost remained high.

In Niger State, the challenge is less about the absence of government-provided CNG buses and more about deployment.

The state reportedly received 100 CNG buses, but the vehicles have not been fully mobilised. While the state Ministry of Information said some had been deployed on the Suleja-Gwagwalada and Suleja-Abuja routes, the remaining buses were said to be affected by ongoing road construction in Minna.

In Ogun State, operators cited a combination of high fuel prices, passenger concerns about CNG vehicles and the cost of converting petrol-powered vehicles.

A transporter, Jamiu Sofela, said fares from Kuto Motor Park, Abeokuta, to Lagos remained at N6,000, while the cost of converting a vehicle to CNG was about N1.3 million.

He also said some passengers were reluctant to use CNG-powered vehicles because of fears about their safety.

“No cheap transport fare for now because they still rely on petrol to power their vehicles,” he said.

In Benue State, the government-owned Benue Links transport service has instead opted for what its management described as a marginal fare increase, citing higher fuel, tyre, spare-parts and other operating costs.

The General Manager, Alexander Fanafa, said the increase was necessary to keep the company operating, adding that other transport companies had made much wider increases.

The resistance from commercial operators is particularly pronounced in parts of the North-west.

In Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi, transport union officials separately rejected calls for immediate fare reductions, arguing that petrol prices of between N1,440 and N1,490 per litre had made their businesses increasingly difficult to sustain.

In Sokoto, NURTW chairman Dan Takatuku said fuel alone consumed more than 70 per cent of some drivers’ daily earnings.

In Zamfara, union member Abdullahi Suleiman described the CNG buses deployed by the government as inadequate to meet the transportation needs of millions of commuters.

In Kebbi, Balarabe Sani said high fuel, spare-parts and maintenance costs had pushed some commercial drivers to park their vehicles.

Anambra State presents another dimension of the challenge — access to promised government intervention.

RTEAN state chairman Joseph Nwabueze said the union had not been contacted about any current incentive for drivers.

He said the state had been allocated 100 CNG vehicles under an earlier arrangement but that the buses had yet to reach the South-east union, despite correspondence with the relevant authorities.

Similarly, Taraba State is yet to implement measures to reduce transportation costs, according to the state NURTW chairman, Ahmodu Musa, who said the union was awaiting action from the state government.

He said the absence of alternative energy sources, including CNG facilities, had contributed to the high cost of transportation in the state.

Kano State Secretary of the NURTW, Ahmad Khalid, said members of the union were yet to see the CNG buses promised by the President.

Speaking with THISDAY in Kano, Khalid said the promise that the buses would be deployed to states from October 1 was yet to materialise in the state.

He disclosed that the union was previously invited to a meeting where it was assured that Kano, given its large population and status as a commercial hub, would be prioritised in the distribution of the buses.

According to him, the state requires more than 500 CNG buses to ease transportation hardship and create employment opportunities for NURTW members.

While the federal government has reported significant progress in CNG conversion and infrastructure, the practical impact on commuters, findings show, depends on several factors, including the availability of buses, refuelling stations, conversion centres, road conditions, fuel prices and the willingness of commercial operators to participate.

The mixed picture emerging from the states, however, indicates that the challenge facing the government’s transport relief programme goes beyond issuing directives or supplying CNG buses.

Atiku Urges FG to Emulate Germany by Cutting Fuel Tax

Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar has called on the federal government led by President Tinubu to emulate the German government, which recently reduced fuel tax.

Atiku said the Tinubu administration had failed in one of the government’s most basic duties of protecting ordinary Nigerians from crushing economic hardship.

He also argued that families now skip meals, struggle to pay for transport and watch their hard-earned money disappear before the month is over.

Atiku further said that the government offers excuses instead of relief, but “Germany, which shares a border with France, Tinubu’s new home, is cutting fuel taxes to shield its people from rising costs.”

In a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said President Tinubu’s Independence Day address revealed how far his government had drifted from the people’s daily reality.

According to Atiku, the President spoke of prosperity while defending policies that have made fuel and basic necessities increasingly unaffordable, and dismissed subsidies as “addictive.”

Atiku also challenged the President’s claim that salaries and pensions are now paid “on time and in full,” as federal workers report delays and pensioners continue to protest.

The former vice president stated, “Germany has cut gasoline and diesel taxes by €0.17 per litre from October through December, at an estimated cost of €2.5 billion. Prices at the pump have begun to fall.

“When petrol becomes more expensive, transport becomes more expensive. When transport costs rise, food and other essentials cost more. The hardship follows Nigerians from the filling station to the market and into their homes.

“Germany understands that when fuel prices put families under pressure, government must act. Nigerians deserve the same compassion and urgency.

“Our plan is to restore targeted, budgeted support for fuel refined in Nigeria, with strict auditing and a guarantee that the benefit lowers pump prices. Support will follow the barrel refined here, creating jobs here and easing costs for Nigerians. It will be funded by cutting waste, protected against diversion and price manipulation, and will not apply to imported fuel.

“To every Nigerian forced to choose between feeding a family, paying for transport or meeting another basic need, I am deeply sorry. You did not deserve this hardship. Tinubu made life unbearably expensive and called your suffering the price of reform. I will make life affordable again.”

Atiku noted that “lower fuel costs can mean a cheaper bus ride, more affordable goods at the market and more money left in a family’s pocket. Nigeria’s wealth should ease the burden on its people. His promise is simple: produce here, create jobs here and make life affordable again.”