By Emmanuel Thomas l Saturday, Sept 19, 2026
ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged state governors and transport operators to accelerate the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure and electric transit systems to ensure Nigerians experience significant reductions in public transportation costs ahead of the October 1 deadline.
In a State House statement issued on September 19, 2026, the President provided a comprehensive update on the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, emphasizing that transitioning to cheaper, locally sourced energy is Nigeria’s most viable defense against volatility in international petroleum markets.
Reiterating the target set during his August 27 meeting with the 36 state governors, President Tinubu stressed that the implementation committee—operating under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and chaired by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq—must fast-track priority corridors, vehicle conversions, and fleet deployments.
Navigating Global Energy Pressures and Rejecting Subsidy Regimes
The President’s address comes at a crucial period when disruptions in global energy supplies are putting severe upward pressure on petrol and diesel prices worldwide.
Addressing calls from certain quarters advocating for a return to fuel subvention, President Tinubu firmly rejected the premise, warning that returning to a petrol subsidy regime would erode national fiscal stability.
”At a time like this, our answer cannot be to return to the ruinous petrol subsidy regime that consumed trillions of naira and left our economy exposed to every movement in international oil prices, as some have suggested,” President Tinubu declared. “We must accelerate the cheaper alternatives we have been building at home.”
The President noted that while Nigeria cannot control global energy shocks, its vast natural gas reserves provide a domestic safety net capable of insulating commuters from global oil price fluctuations. Over the last three years, deliberate federal investments have established a functional domestic energy alternative, resulting in over 120,000 vehicle conversions, more than 400 certified conversion centers, and over 90 active CNG refueling stations across the nation.
Measurable Fare Reductions Across States
Providing an empirical breakdown of current operations, President Tinubu asserted that the benefits of cleaner, cheaper fuel are already tangible in multiple states across the country:
Borno State: CNG-powered and electric buses carry commuters for ₦50 to ₦100 along routes where commercial operators charge between ₦300 and ₦600.
Kaduna State: A fleet of 100 CNG-powered buses offering free transit on major routes transported 3.2 million passengers in its first year, saving citizens over ₦3.5 billion.
Oyo State: CNG buses integrated into Pacesetter Transport slashed the Lagos–Ibadan fare from ₦8,000 to ₦3,200 during initial deployment.
Adamawa State: Alternative energy services have cut fares by 50 percent, dropping from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000.
Enugu State: The deployment of 100 CNG buses brought the Enugu–Nsukka fare down from ₦2,500 to ₦1,500.
Plateau State: Government-supported buses carry approximately 13,000 daily commuters at ₦200, compared to the commercial rate of over ₦500
Federal Capital Territory (Abuja): A partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) offers a 40 percent fare reducti.
on on converted commercial vehicles. Routes such as Area 1 to Gwagwalada dropped from ₦1,500 to ₦900, Nyanya from ₦700 to ₦420, and Wuse from ₦400 to ₦240.
Niger State: The Suleja–Abuja service fare stands at ₦550 compared to ₦800.
Abia State: The deployment of 40 electric buses features a 50 percent fare subsidy for passengers.
Highlighting additional sub-national momentum, the President commended Edo for maintaining 50 CNG buses in active service; Kano for converting over 1,000 commercial vehicles while expanding refuel networks; Delta, Kwara, and Lagos for expanding fleet operations; and Akwa Ibom for taking delivery of 50 CNG buses ahead of commercial launch
Nigeria’s systemic shift toward compressed natural gas and electric mobility traces back to May 29, 2023, when President Tinubu announced the total removal of the controversial Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) subsidy.
The removal, while aimed at stopping massive fiscal drain and curbing cross-border smuggling, initially triggered severe inflationary pressures and increased commuter transportation costs.
To mitigate these economic shocks, the Federal Government established the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi). The initiative set out to leverage Nigeria’s proven gas reserves—exceeding 200 trillion cubic feet—to build a green transit system.
While early rollout faced infrastructure bottlenecks, including a limited distribution network and capital-intensive conversion kits, federal interventions such as duty exemptions, tax waivers on conversion kits, and direct partnerships with transport unions have accelerated adoption.
The government’s recent directive to scale up to 1,000 CNG refuelling stations nationwide, alongside expanding conversion facilities, forms the backbone of the October 1 fare reduction objective agreed upon with state governments
Reassuring state leaders, transport operators, and private investors, President Tinubu pledged that the Federal Government will expand technical capacity, widen access to conversion facilities, and maintain an enabling regulatory framework.
”Nigeria has the gas. We are building the infrastructure. We are already seeing the savings,” President Tinubu concluded. “Now we must move faster and scale this so more Nigerians feel those savings in the fares they pay every day.”
