Tinubu Urges Governors to Emulate Kaduna’s Free CNG Mass Transit Scheme

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged state governors across Nigeria to emulate Kaduna State’s free Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) mass transit initiative as part of efforts to reduce transportation costs for citizens.

Tinubu praised the Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani, saying the state’s experience demonstrates how cheaper domestic energy can help ease the financial burden on commuters.

The President said 100 CNG-powered buses currently provide free transportation on major routes in Kaduna State. According to him, the buses carried about 3.2 million passengers in their first year, saving commuters more than ₦3.5 billion in transportation costs.

He also highlighted similar CNG and alternative-energy transport initiatives in Borno, Oyo, Adamawa, Enugu and Plateau states, noting that such programmes had helped reduce fares.

Tinubu said the Federal Government, state governments and other stakeholders were working to identify key transport corridors and expand CNG infrastructure and vehicle conversion capacity nationwide.

He said the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme had become more urgent due to rising global energy prices, adding that Nigeria’s gas resources could help reduce the country’s exposure to fluctuations in international oil markets.

The President also reiterated his opposition to a return to petrol subsidies, arguing that subsidies could expose the economy to global oil price changes and divert funds from other development priorities.

In response, Governor Uba Sani thanked Tinubu for recognising Kaduna’s initiative. He said the state would continue implementing programmes aimed at reducing the economic burden on vulnerable households.

Sani said Kaduna remained the only subnational government offering free CNG mass transit to its citizens, adding that the 100 buses and planned construction of 200 modern bus stops would further support the scheme.

• Tweet
• Share
• Share
• Share
• Share