The Federal Government has handed over 64 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to representatives from the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
This comes just two days before another round of nationwide protests against the country’s hardships, which are being planned by some activist groups to coincide with Nigeria’s Independence Day on October 1.
When used for commuter service, the buses will dramatically lower transportation expenses in the country, raising hopes for a more affordable and efficient public transit system.
The buses were handed off on Sunday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja as part of the 64th anniversary celebrations for Nigeria’s independence.
Wale Edun, Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, led the government delegation, which also included Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State for Youth Development.
Edun praised the distribution of the buses as fulfilling President Bola Tinubu’s promise to provide affordable and efficient transportation to Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidies under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGi).
He highlighted that this initiative aims to reduce the burden on the poor and vulnerable while supporting macroeconomic changes that would put the country on track for economic stability.
The Minister went on to clarify that the symbolic handover of 64 buses on the eve of Nigeria’s National Day represents the start of a broader national rollout, with the first goal of distributing over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles.
He noted that the CNG effort is consistent with Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy while leveraging its energy resources for industrialisation.
”Today marks another critical milestone in the policies of President Tinubu. It is a transition to cleaner fuel. It is for Nigerians. The emphasis is on mass transit. The minister said there is an emphasis on intervening on the side of workers so that they have cheaper transport to cope with rising prices.
He also highlighted the CNG initiative’s impact on inflation, saying that ”we’ve had an initial spike in inflation, now it has peaked, and it is coming down. Mr President and the whole team are determined to ensure that we keep inflation coming down, and this is one of the major ways.”
He said motorists can now pay as low as N15,000 to fill a tank instead of N50,000 or more.
”Today, it is CNG. Tomorrow, it will be helping farmers to cope with the remainder of the wet season planting and then the dry season planting, starting from November, with fertiliser, inputs, seeds, and herbicides.
”This is all to get prices down and get the economy moving again, ” he said.
Comrade Nuhu Toro, Secretary-General and Chief Executive of TUC; Comrade Lucky Emonefe, President of NANS; and Comrade Uche Ekwe, Head of International Desk, NLC, all praised President Tinubu for his gesture. They advocated for more CNG buses to be made available to the public.