President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the 36 state governments to accelerate the implementation of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, with the objective of ensuring that more Nigerians begin to experience measurable reductions in transportation costs from October 1.
Tinubu gave the directive in a statement personally signed and released on Saturday, September 19, 2026, following an August 27 meeting with state governors. According to the President, the governors agreed on a common objective of making cheaper transportation available to Nigerians through the expanded use of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, and electric vehicles.
The President said an implementation committee had subsequently been established under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, chaired by Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the NGF, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Tinubu said the committee, the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, state governments and other stakeholders were working to identify priority transport corridors, determine appropriate interventions and establish the arrangements required to expand affordable public transportation.
“From October 1, more Nigerians should begin to see measurable reductions in transportation costs,” the President said.
Tinubu pointed to existing CNG and electric transport schemes in several states as evidence that lower energy costs could translate into reduced fares when the savings are passed on to commuters.
In Borno State, he said CNG-powered and electric public transport services were charging between ₦50 and ₦100 on routes where commercial operators charge between ₦300 and ₦600.
In Kaduna State, the President said 100 CNG-powered buses were providing free transportation on major routes. According to him, the buses carried approximately 3.2 million passengers during their first year of operation and generated savings of more than ₦3.5 billion for commuters.
Tinubu also cited Oyo State, where he said CNG buses deployed to Pacesetter Transport had reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about ₦8,000 to ₦3,200 during the initial deployment.
In Adamawa State, alternative-energy transport services have reportedly reduced fares by as much as 50 per cent, from ₦8,000 to ₦4,000.
The President said 100 CNG buses deployed in Enugu had reduced the Enugu-Nsukka fare from ₦2,500 to ₦1,500, while government-supported buses in Plateau State transport approximately 13,000 commuters daily at ₦200, compared with commercial fares of more than ₦500.
In the Federal Capital Territory, Tinubu said the Federal Government’s partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers had produced a 40 per cent fare reduction on several routes served by CNG-converted commercial vehicles.
He cited the Area 1-Gwagwalada route, where he said fares had fallen from ₦1,500 to ₦900; Nyanya, from ₦700 to ₦420; and Wuse, from ₦400 to ₦240.
In Niger State, passengers using the Suleja-Abuja service were reportedly paying ₦550 instead of about ₦800, while Abia State had deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.
“These are not projections. Nigerians are already experiencing these savings,” Tinubu said.
The President’s directive comes amid renewed pressure on petrol and diesel prices linked to disruptions in global energy supplies. He argued that while Nigeria could not control developments in international energy markets, it could reduce its exposure by making greater use of its domestic gas resources.
Tinubu said his administration had spent the past three years developing a CNG transportation ecosystem across the country. According to him, more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG, while more than 400 certified conversion centres and over 90 CNG refuelling stations were operating nationwide.
The administration has also continued to expand infrastructure supporting CNG and electric mobility. In May 2026, the Federal Government commissioned CNG infrastructure projects in Lagos, Abuja and Imo State, including refuelling and vehicle conversion facilities.
Tinubu said the government would not respond to current energy pressures by returning to the former petrol subsidy regime.
“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,” he said.
Instead, he said Nigeria should accelerate the development of cheaper domestic energy alternatives.
The President acknowledged the efforts of states that had already commenced CNG transport initiatives, citing Edo State’s 50 active CNG buses, more than 1,000 converted commercial vehicles in Kano, and expanding CNG-supported transport services in Delta, Kwara and Lagos.
He also disclosed that Akwa Ibom State had taken delivery of 50 CNG buses ahead of the commencement of commercial operations.
However, Tinubu said the progress recorded so far was not sufficient and urged all state governments to maintain momentum ahead of October 1.
He called on state governments to work closely with transport unions and commercial operators, support vehicle conversion and fleet deployment, and facilitate the infrastructure needed to sustain the programme.
The President stressed that the central objective should be ensuring that savings generated from cheaper energy reach commuters through lower transportation fares.
“Above all, ensure that savings from cheaper energy reach Nigerian citizens through lower fares,” he said.
Tinubu also pledged continued Federal Government support for the expansion of CNG infrastructure, increased access to conversion facilities and the development of an enabling environment for state governments, transport operators, vehicle manufacturers and private investors.
The government’s broader CNG policy dates back to 2023, when the Presidential CNG Initiative was established partly to reduce the transportation impact of petrol subsidy removal. The initiative has since expanded to include electric vehicles and charging infrastructure under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles.
While the President has set October 1 as the target for commuters to begin seeing measurable fare reductions, implementation is expected to vary by state and transport corridor as infrastructure, vehicle conversions, subsidies and agreements with operators are put in place. A recent report also indicated that transport unions had raised questions about consultation and that the rollout would be phased rather than necessarily constituting a uniform nationwide fare reduction on every route.
Tinubu nevertheless said the government would continue to scale the programme.
“Now we must move faster and scale this so that more Nigerians feel those savings in the fares they pay every day,” he said.
