By Ayodele Quadri, Lagos Times Correspondent
ABUJA, NIGERIA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the 36 state governors have reached an agreement to cut public transportation fares nationwide starting October 1, 2026.
The decision follows high-level consultations at Aso Rock between the presidency and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF). The strategy hinges on accelerating the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, electric vehicles, commercial fleet conversion kits, and refueling infrastructure to pass operating cost savings directly to commuters.
Core Pillars of the Federal-State CNG Agreement
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Joint Implementation Committee: A joint federal-state committee has been established to coordinate state-level bus deployments, monitor transport operators, and enforce binding fare reductions.
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1,000 CNG Refueling Stations: President Tinubu directed the rollout of an additional 500 CNG refueling stations nationwide through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF), expanding the total national target to 1,000 stations.
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National Conversion Progress: Over 120,000 commercial vehicles have been converted to CNG nationwide, with more than 100,000 additional conversion kits currently being processed for state fleet operators.
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National Affordable CNG Transit Programme (NACTP): State governments will co-fund vehicle conversion kits, support localized refueling infrastructure, and deploy state-managed CNG and electric bus fleets in exchange for fare commitments from transport unions.
“A vehicle running on CNG spends 60 to 80 per cent less on fuel than one running on petrol. From October 1, our goal is that Nigerians begin to partake in those savings through lower transport fares. We have agreed that cheaper fuel should result in cheaper fares!” — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
