By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday announced an immediate federal–state push to lower domestic transport costs by scaling up compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicle use, saying governors had “on their own initiative” resolved to adopt measures that will bring fuel savings closer to Nigerians.
“The governors have, on their own initiative, resolved to take immediate measures to bring down the cost of transportation in their states, with a strong focus on leveraging the cost benefits of CNG and electric vehicles,” Tinubu said after a meeting with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
The Federal Government, Tinubu said, has already converted more than 120,000 vehicles under the Presidential CNG Initiative and is preparing over 100,000 additional conversion kits. “At the same time, we continue to expand conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure nationwide,” he added.
Tinubu highlighted ongoing investments under the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, which is financing more than 100 gas projects across the country.
“These include 15 CNG mother stations and 86 daughter stations,” he said, noting that in May he commissioned four of the projects in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri — including a 15-station refuelling network in Lagos and an Abuja facility capable of serving 1,000 cars and tricycles and 50 trucks and buses a day.
Tinubu directed the addition of 500 more CNG refuelling stations on top of an earlier order for 500, bringing the target to 1,000 stations nationwide.
“I have also directed the additional rollout of another 500 CNG refuelling stations nationwide in addition to the 500 stations ordered earlier in the year by the Fund, bringing the programme to 1,000 stations across the country,” he said.
The president emphasised that states control intra-state transport — where Nigerians feel fares most acutely — and welcomed governors’ commitment to act.
“Intra-state transport is where Nigerians feel the cost most directly, and it is where the states hold the levers. I am encouraged that our Governors are moving to bring these benefits closer to the people they serve,” Tinubu said.
A joint Federal and State implementation committee will be established immediately to coordinate the measures, the president announced.
He stressed the expected impact on consumer costs: “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!”
Tinubu called for co-operation across government tiers. “Each tier of government must keep doing its part and work together for the benefit of every Nigerian,” he said, concluding with the rallying phrase: “Nigeria First.”
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