By Chibuzor Alli
President Bola Tinubu’s October 1 target for cheaper public transportation has yet to translate into widespread fare reductions across the country, with commuters in several states continuing to pay the same or higher fares despite the Federal Government’s push for Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses.
Findings across a number of states showed that while some governments have introduced subsidised, free or CNG-powered transport schemes, the impact remains limited, leaving many commuters dependent on commercial buses whose operators continue to contend with high fuel, maintenance and spare-parts costs.
The situation was reported in Enugu, Anambra, Delta, Imo, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Gombe, Edo, Plateau, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Ogun states, where transport fares remained largely unchanged as the October 1 target took effect.
The development has highlighted the challenges of translating the Federal Government’s alternative-fuel programme into immediate relief for commuters, particularly in states where CNG buses have not been deployed at scale or where refuelling and conversion infrastructure remains inadequate.
President Tinubu had on September 19 urged state governments to ensure that savings from the use of cheaper CNG-powered transportation were passed on to Nigerians through lower fares from October 1.
The President made the call while providing an update on the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, which followed his August 27 meeting with the 36 state governors.
The programme was designed to deepen the use of CNG and electric vehicles while reducing transportation costs for Nigerians.
Tinubu said the objective agreed with the governors was for commuters to begin experiencing “measurable reductions in transportation costs” from October 1.
“I encourage every state to maintain the momentum towards October 1. Work with transport unions and commercial operators. Support conversion and fleet deployment.
“Facilitate the infrastructure required. Above all, ensure that savings from cheaper energy reach Nigerian citizens through lower fares,” he said.
The President also said some states were already recording reductions in transportation costs through CNG-powered and electric buses.
But the Federal Government’s presidential initiative overseeing the programme said October 1 was not intended to mean that every state would introduce lower fares simultaneously.
Speaking to Press men, the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, Ismaeel Ahmed, said states including Borno, Kaduna, Zamfara and Ebonyi had already started reducing fares through CNG and electric vehicles.
He said fare reductions had also commenced on some routes ahead of the October 1 target.
According to Ahmed, the date marked the beginning of federal monitoring of the rollout rather than a deadline for all states to implement reductions at once.
“The President and the Governors sat on August 27 to make a commitment to see that they have deepened the use of alternative fuel vehicles, that is CNG and electric vehicles, in different parts of the country.
‘’The Federal Government has made a significant investment both in terms of infrastructure and equipment for the last three years and he, the President, indulged the governors to make a commitment to do their own part at the sub-national level, what the governors have done. So, the price fare reduction have already started happening in different routes, but of course the 1st of October is not a day that, it’s not a be-all date that everything would happen at the same time, no.”
Ahmed said the Federal Government would monitor routes where CNG and electric vehicles were already operating and continue pushing for wider coverage.
“It is a date where we will begin to monitor the commencement of fare reduction in routes where CNG and EV are being used in different states and right now I can tell you for free that in Abuja, in the last two, three years, we’ve been using CNG buses in different high-traffic routes like from the Federal Secretariat to Gwagwalada to Kubwa and anywhere. If you like, you can go tomorrow and check on a CNG bus, you will see that the fare reduction is significantly lower.”
He also pointed to Lagos, where 20 CNG buses had been donated to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority as part of efforts to expand alternative-fuel transportation.
“In Lagos we just donated about 20 CNG buses to LAMATA to start using as operators to start cutting down the fare prices in between Lagos and Ibadan and so on within Lagos and other areas as well.”
Ahmed said Kaduna had also recorded significant fare reductions following the use of CNG buses over the past two years.
Zamfara, he said, had launched 100 electric taxis, while Ebonyi was providing free transportation to some categories of residents.
“Zamfara just launched their electric vehicles, 100 taxis, their fares are significantly reduced. Ebonyi is using their buses, it’s free for their civil servants and students. We are trying to see how we can bring that to the wider public,” Ahmed explained.
Borno was another state cited by the presidential initiative as an example of lower-cost alternative-fuel transportation.
“In Borno they are using EVs and then they are charging about 15 Naira as opposed to about 200 to 500 Naira for each trip,” he said.
Ahmed acknowledged that the initiative had not yet reached every part of the country but said the Federal Government intended to expand the programme.
“So, there are a lot of stories all over the country, but it’s not everywhere yet but it is a beginning. What the President said is that there will be commencement of fare reduction by 1st of October and God willing, we are going to keep following that up to make sure that we deepen it and it pervades every community and every high traffic corridors.”
However, experiences recorded by commuters in several states showed that the anticipated reduction had yet to become a reality for many passengers.
Anambra
In Anambra State, fares remained unchanged on October 1, with passengers paying about N700 for the journey from Upper Iweka to Oba and around N2,000 from Awka to Onitsha.
Some commercial drivers said they were unaware of the Federal Government’s CNG buses, while gas stations in the state were reportedly not operational.
Transport operator Uche Daniel attributed the continued high fares to the cost of spare parts and poor roads.
“Even the CNG buses cannot reduce transport fare because the roads are bad, which make our vehicles faulty, and we have to take a long distance to our destination as we avoid bad roads and delays in areas where roads are being repaired.”
Daniel also cited the closure of the First Niger Bridge, saying motorists had been forced to use inner roads in poor condition.
Delta
Transport operators in Delta State similarly reported no reduction in fares.
Only five CNG-branded buses were observed parked at the Commissioner for Transport’s lodge in Asaba.
The Chairman of the NURTW Summit Motor Park, Asaba, Emeka Okoro, said the union had not received any CNG buses and therefore had not adjusted fares.
“They have not given us any buses, and we have not reduced transport fare. We cannot reduce transport fare when the cost of buying fuel is still high,” he said.
Okoro called for action to address fuel prices and ensure transport unions and commercial drivers had access to CNG-powered vehicles.
Imo
In Imo State, commercial transporters also said they were yet to receive Federal Government CNG buses.
Although the state’s All Progressives Congress spokesman, Jones Onwuasoanya, said the President’s promise was on course and that the state had begun taking delivery of CNG vehicles, checks at major motor parks showed that fares remained high.
A driver said passengers paid N4,500 for a journey from Owerri to Akokwa, while the fare from Owerri to Awka could reach N9,000.
“The CNG bus is not in Imo, and we have not seen anyone. Imagine paying N4,500 from Owerri to Akokwa and paying N9,000 from Owerri to Awka. These places increased by 50 per cent. The President should reduce the fuel price and forget about all this unrealistic talk about CNG,” he said.
Another driver, Emeka, questioned the reach of the programme in a state where private bus owners dominate commercial transportation.
“Have we also talked about the modalities of the operation? Imo State is run by private bus owners. These are factors of consideration. We expect the Federal Government to reduce pump price,” he said.
Sokoto, Kebbi and Jigawa
Transport fares also remained unchanged in Sokoto and Kebbi states.
At the Central Motor Park in Sokoto, passengers travelling to Kebbi continued to pay between N5,000 and N6,000, while commercial journeys to Kano or Kaduna cost about N20,000.
In Kebbi, the fare to Sokoto remained around N5,000 on commercial buses, although state-owned transport vehicles charged N3,500 for the same route.
The lower fares offered by government-owned services provided some relief, but their limited coverage meant that many passengers still relied on commercial operators.
In Jigawa State, residents of Dutse expressed disappointment that fares had not fallen.
At Dutse Central Motor Park and Shuwarin Motor Park, fares remained unchanged.
Passenger Isa Hamisu, who travelled to Kano, said he paid N3,500, the same amount charged the previous week.
“They told us fare will come down by October 1. I am paying N3,500 to Kano today just like last week. There is no change. I don’t know which one is a CNG bus.”
Another commuter, Abba Garba, said the fare to Hadejia remained N5,000.
However, the Jigawa State Chairman of NARTO, Bello Usman Dunaro, confirmed that the union had received government support under the CNG programme.
“About 100 of our vehicles were converted to CNG courtesy of the initiative from the government. The intention is to reduce transportation fares for the people. We are still working on it,” he said.
Gombe
Passengers in Gombe State also reported no reduction in fares on routes operated by both the state transport service and private companies.
Passenger Naomi Sambo said she expected the Federal Government’s intervention to translate into cheaper transportation.
“Transportation to Abuja is still as it has been. I came to pick a bus expecting to see changes. What they said is in the papers,” she said.
Another passenger, Murtala Sabo, said the fare to Kaduna had also remained unchanged.
The Managing Director of the Gombe State Transport Service, Dr Sani Sabo, said the agency was exploring alternatives to prevent further fare increases and was working towards converting some of its buses to CNG.
Edo
Transport fares in Edo State also remained unchanged.
Short-distance journeys in Benin ranged between N200 and N300, while longer journeys cost between N500 and N600.
Even some vehicles that had already been converted to CNG had not reduced their fares.
A transport union official attributed the situation to the high cost of spare parts and inadequate gas infrastructure.
According to the official, some buses had to spend hours and, in some cases, days waiting to refill with gas.
The Edo State Government, however, said it planned to launch 50 52-seater CNG buses later in the month.
The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, said the buses would be distributed across the three senatorial districts according to commuter demand.
“We are also launching our own CNG next month with over fifty 52-seater CNG buses. They will be distributed according to commuter strength across the three senatorial districts. Once the passengers have the option of cheaper rates from the CNG, other transporters will be forced to reduce their fares,” he stated.
Enugu
In Enugu State, commuters continued to face relatively high fares despite the operation of government-owned CNG buses.
The government buses charge a flat N300 fare, but their limited routes and operating hours have restricted their reach.
A journey from Emene to Old Park in Enugu metropolis costs N600 on regular commercial buses, compared with N300 on the government-operated CNG buses.
The CNG buses, however, operate mainly on major routes during morning and evening periods, meaning commuters travelling outside those hours may have to use more expensive commercial vehicles.
The state government had rolled out 100 CNG mass transit buses a year earlier from an acquisition plan of 200 vehicles, although there was no available information on whether the remaining buses had been procured.
An official of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria in the state said the union had not been informed about the lower fares promised by the President.
Efforts to obtain comments from the state Commissioners for Information and Transport were unsuccessful.
Kaduna
Kaduna State presented a different picture, with commuters receiving relief on selected routes through a free CNG-powered mass transit scheme.
Commercial transport fares outside the CNG network, however, remained high.
A journey from Kawo to Kasuwa, which previously cost less than N300, was reported to cost about N500 on commercial vehicles, while Kasuwa to Sabon Tasha also cost around N500.
The Kaduna State Government had rolled out 100 CNG buses and said the buses carried about 3.2 million passengers during their first year, saving commuters more than N3.5bn in transport costs.
The State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, said Kaduna remained the only state providing completely free CNG-powered mass transit services.
The scheme operates across eight routes, using 100 buses and about 200 bus stops.
Residents, however, noted that the benefit remained limited to commuters whose destinations fell within the designated routes.
Plateau
In Plateau State, fares in Jos also remained unchanged despite the October 1 target.
CNG buses were not yet operating in the state, while government-owned metro buses continued to charge N200.
Resident Moses Gyang said he paid N1,000 from Bukuru to Terminus, the same amount he had paid before October 1.
The Commissioner for Transport, Davou Jatau, however, said Plateau had already gone ahead of the Federal Government’s directive through its subsidised transportation scheme.
He said government-supported buses transported about 13,000 commuters daily at N200, compared with more than N500 charged by commercial operators.
The state was also working with the National Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria, to establish a CNG and hybrid vehicle conversion centre in Jos.
Jatau identified the absence of a refuelling station as one of the major challenges facing the CNG programme in the state.
Ondo and Osun
Commercial transport fares in Ondo State similarly remained unchanged, with no CNG buses observed operating across the state.
A taxi driver said he was unaware of any CNG buses being deployed and questioned how fares could fall while petrol prices remained high.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transport, Muyiwa Ogunyemi, said the state was working on CNG conversion centres and additional gas outlets.
In Osun State, intra-city and interstate fares also remained unchanged.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said Osun was still waiting for CNG buses promised by the Federal Government.
“The Federal Government promised us CNG buses, but we have yet to get any. We know that with the intervention of the President to reduce transportation costs, Osun will get its own share of CNG.”
He also said the state’s difficult financial situation had constrained its ability to provide immediate subsidised transportation.
Oyo and Ogun
In Oyo State, fares on major routes in Ibadan remained at levels introduced after the increase in petrol prices.
The fare from Ojoo to Mokola remained N600, up from N500 before the latest petrol price increase, while Ojoo to Iwo Road cost between N400 and N500.
Passengers said they had yet to notice any reduction.
Trader Bisi Ogunade said the October 1 promise had yet to make a difference to her transportation cost.
“President Bola Tinubu said October 1, and today is that day. Let’s wait and see from this weekend whether the president was lying or not. But today, I boarded it at the same price.”
Ogun State also recorded no immediate reduction in fares.
A journey from Kuto to Ijebu Ode remained N3,500, whether the vehicle was powered by CNG or petrol. Kuto to Ita Oshin cost between N600 and N700, while Kuto to Sagamu was N2,000 and above.
A driver attributed the continued high fares to rising fuel prices, maintenance expenses and general living costs.
The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said the state government would soon announce its response to the Federal Government’s directive.
“Today (Thursday) is still October 1st and a public holiday, but in the days coming, the state government, in addition to actions taken in the past, will reveal its interventions that are to help cushion the situation.”
With the October 1 target now serving as the beginning of federal monitoring rather than a uniform nationwide deadline, the success of the CNG programme will depend on how quickly states can expand vehicle deployment, conversion facilities and refuelling infrastructure.
For commuters, however, the immediate measure remains the fare they pay to get to work, school, markets and other destinations.
While government-backed CNG and electric transport schemes are already providing cheaper or free services on selected routes, the experience across several states shows that the promised reduction has yet to become a broad-based reality for millions of Nigerians who still depend on conventional commercial transport.
Leave a comment