100 Buses to Hit Roads as FG Launches Electric Bus Programme to Cut Transportation Costs for Workers
- The FG has commissioned 37 electric buses as the first batch of 100 buses under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme for civil servants
- The buses are expected to reduce workers’ transportation costs, improve safety and punctuality, and boost productivity
- The full deployment of the 100 electric buses is expected to be completed by December 2026
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
The Federal Government has commissioned 37 electric buses as the first batch of 100 approved under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme, aimed at easing transportation difficulties and improving the welfare of federal civil servants.
The buses were unveiled on Wednesday at Eagle Square, Abuja, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, describing the initiative as a significant step towards improving the working conditions of government employees.
Source: UGC
The first phase represents 37 of the 100 electric buses approved for the programme, Vanguard reported.
Walson-Jack described the commissioning as her “parting gift” to federal civil servants, coming less than 24 hours before the end of her tenure as Head of the Civil Service.
“What we have here is 37 buses, being the first instalment of the 100 Electric Buses,” she said.
She noted that transportation costs and challenges have a direct effect on workers’ finances, safety, punctuality and productivity, stressing the importance of providing affordable and dependable commuting options.
“For many Civil Servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality, and ultimately their productivity,” she said.
According to her, the initiative would help workers cut transportation expenses, minimise commuting risks and arrive at their workplaces with greater energy to provide quality public service.
Electric buses to begin with pilot routes
The Head of Service said the buses would initially operate on selected routes under a pilot phase before being expanded nationwide.
She added that the vehicles would eventually be deployed to Federal Secretariats across the states to extend the benefits of the programme to civil servants outside Abuja.
“A Special Purpose Vehicle has been established to ensure their proper management, maintenance and long-term sustainability,” she said.
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, described the initiative as more than a transportation project, saying it brings together workers’ welfare, productivity, industrialisation and technology.
Enoh said each of the 100 electric buses could carry up to 200 passengers and cover at least 200 kilometres on a full charge.
Full deployment expected by December 2026
Also speaking on the rollout, the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Olu Osanipin, said the initial deployment would be followed by additional buses.
In a statement on his X handle, Osanipin said the “first deployment marks the beginning of a phased rollout, with the full complement of 100 electric buses expected to be deployed by December 2026.
Enoh commended the NADDC and other stakeholders for their roles in the project, while urging local manufacturers to invest in production facilities, increase local content and develop products capable of competing in the global market.
Source: UGC
He said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that its economic reforms produce tangible results through industrial growth, job creation, infrastructure development and improved living standards for Nigerians.
Source: Legit.ng
