President Bola Tinubu has said Nigerians should begin to experience lower transportation costs from October 1, 2026, as the Federal Government and state governments intensify efforts to expand affordable CNG-powered and electric public transportation.
The President disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, as part of an update on the National Affordable Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Transit Programme.
Tinubu said the plan followed a meeting he held with the 36 state governors on August 27, during which they agreed to work towards reducing the burden of transportation costs on Nigerians.
“From October 1, more Nigerians should begin to see measurable reductions in transportation costs,” the President said.
Following the meeting, an implementation committee was established under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), with Kwara State Governor and NGF Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, serving as chairman.
According to Tinubu, the committee, the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), state governments and other stakeholders are already working on the rollout.
Their responsibilities include identifying priority transport corridors, determining suitable interventions and putting the necessary arrangements in place to ensure the benefits of cheaper energy reach commuters.
The President said the urgency of the programme had increased amid the prevailing global energy crisis, which has continued to put pressure on transportation and energy costs.
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The administration has positioned CNG and electric vehicles as part of its strategy to reduce the cost of transportation by lowering the operating expenses of commercial vehicles. The government has previously said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG nationwide.
The Federal Government has also continued to expand CNG infrastructure and vehicle conversion programmes, with the Pi-CNG & EV initiative mandated to coordinate the rollout of CNG and electric mobility infrastructure across the country.
Tinubu’s latest announcement therefore places October 1 as a key date for Nigerians to begin seeing the intended impact of the programme on transport fares.