The Federal Government has inaugurated 100 Renewed Hope Mass Transit electric buses for federal civil servants as part of efforts to make daily transportation safer, cheaper and more reliable for workers.
The buses were unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, who said the initiative was aimed at improving the welfare of workers and easing the pressure associated with daily commuting.
However, only 37 of the 100 buses have so far been delivered as the first batch of the project.
The remaining buses are expected to be deployed as implementation continues.
Walson-Jack described the inauguration as an important moment for the Federal Civil Service, particularly as she prepares to leave office at the end of her tenure on Thursday.
“For me, it is a dream come true. This inauguration is providentially my parting gift to my dearly beloved federal civil servants,” she said.
The Head of Service said the project was more than the provision of vehicles for workers.
She explained that transportation affects several areas of a civil servant’s daily life, including personal finances, safety, punctuality and performance at work.
According to her, workers who spend a large part of their income and time trying to get to and from work may face additional pressure that can affect their productivity.
”An intervention that makes transportation safer, more reliable and more affordable is therefore not a peripheral welfare gesture; it is an investment in a more productive civil service,” she said.
Walson-Jack said the electric buses would help reduce the financial burden on federal workers while also providing a safer alternative for their daily journeys.
She added that the initiative showed how policies under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda were being converted into programmes that workers could directly benefit from.
”The acquisition of the buses is made possible through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund.”
She also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for supporting the project and for his administration’s efforts to improve conditions within the Federal Civil Service.
The HCSF said the project was made possible through collaboration between relevant government institutions.
She particularly commended the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, for his support and for participating in the formal handover of the buses.
She also praised the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Mr Joseph Osanipin, and his team for their role in the project.
According to her, the collaboration with NADDC was important in ensuring that the buses were developed in line with the objectives of Nigeria’s national automotive policy.
Walson-Jack further stressed the importance of staff welfare to the ongoing reform of the public service.
She said a workforce that receives adequate support would be better positioned to carry out its responsibilities with professionalism and dedication.
The HCSF also appealed to civil servants to protect and properly maintain the buses once they become available for use.
She said the vehicles were government assets provided specifically to support workers and should therefore be treated with care.
”My dearly beloved civil servants, treat these buses as your own personal assets. They are assets that have been provided for you all,” she said.
Speaking at the event, Enoh described the inauguration as a major step in the Federal Government’s efforts to improve transportation for civil servants.
He said the deployment of the electric buses would help address some of the difficulties workers face while travelling to and from their places of work.
The minister also linked the project to the administration’s wider efforts to promote cleaner and more sustainable transportation.
He said government policies should result in practical interventions that improve the lives of Nigerians rather than remain as plans on paper.
Enoh also acknowledged Walson-Jack’s contribution to the Federal Civil Service and wished her well as she prepares to complete her tenure as Head of Service.
He noted that the first 37 buses represent the initial phase of the 100-bus programme.
The remaining vehicles, he said, would be delivered and deployed according to the implementation plan.
The project also fits into the Federal Government’s broader push towards cleaner transportation and reduced dependence on conventional fuel-powered vehicles.
President Tinubu had first announced plans for the deployment of 100 electric buses in December 2023 during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
At the time, the President said the initiative was intended to help modernise Nigeria’s transportation system and reduce carbon emissions.
The plan was presented as part of the government’s broader energy transition and clean transportation agenda.
The government later included the 100 electric buses in the first phase of its transportation intervention alongside thousands of CNG-powered buses and tricycles.
In 2024, the Federal Executive Council also approved the purchase of CNG, solar and electric-powered vehicles as part of the administration’s energy transition programme.