CNG: States fail to implement Tinubu’s directive on low fares

Commuters across several states in Nigeria continued to pay the same, and in some cases higher, fares despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive that transportation fares should begin to fall from October 1 through the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses.

Checks on Thursday, showed that Tinubu’s directive had yet to translate into widespread reductions in transport fares.

While some state governments have introduced subsidised or free CNG-powered transportation schemes, the initiatives remain limited in coverage, leaving millions of commuters dependent on commercial buses whose operators continue to grapple with high fuel, spare parts and maintenance costs.

In several states, transport unions said they had not received CNG buses, while motorists complained about inadequate infrastructure, including a shortage of refuelling facilities and conversion centres.

The situation was particularly evident in Enugu, Anambra, Delta, Imo, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Gombe, Edo, Plateau, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Ogun states, where checks showed that fares remained largely unchanged as the October 1 deadline took effect.

President Bola Tinubu had urged state governments on September 19 to ensure that savings from cheaper CNG-powered transportation translate into lower fares for Nigerians by October 1.

Tinubu made the charge in a statement updating Nigerians on the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, established after his August 27 meeting with the 36 state governors.