President Bola Tinubu has directed an urgent federal-state collaboration to cut transportation costs across Nigeria, leaning on compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles as cheaper alternatives to petrol.
The President disclosed this after meeting with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by its chairman, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, alongside Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and other state chief executives, on Thursday.
Tinubu said the governors had, on their own initiative, resolved to introduce measures that would translate fuel cost savings into lower transport fares for Nigerians, particularly at the state level where fares are felt most directly.
He revealed that the Federal Government has converted over 120,000 vehicles to CNG under the Presidential CNG Initiative, with more than 100,000 additional conversion kits already being rolled out.
According to him, the administration will keep expanding CNG conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure nationwide, backed by investments from the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, which is currently funding over 100 gas-related projects, including 15 CNG mother stations and 86 daughter stations across the country.
Tinubu recalled commissioning four of these projects in May across Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri, among them a 15-station refuelling network in Lagos and an Abuja facility with the capacity to serve 1,000 cars and tricycles, plus 50 trucks and buses, daily.
He further ordered the construction of 500 additional CNG refuelling stations, on top of a previous directive for 500 stations, bringing the nationwide target to 1,000 stations.
The President noted that since intra-state transport falls under the control of state governments, the cooperation of governors is critical to ensuring Nigerians benefit from the cost advantages of CNG.
“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.
He also announced plans for a joint Federal-State implementation committee to be set up immediately to coordinate the rollout of these measures.
Highlighting the potential savings, Tinubu explained that vehicles running on CNG spend 60 to 80 percent less on fuel compared to those using 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!” he said.
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