Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Plateau, Enugu, Unveil New CNG Buses With Cheaper Transport Fares
- Kwara, Ekiti, Plateau and Enugu are expanding subsidised transport, but cheaper rides remain limited to selected routes
- Lagos has added 20 CNG buses but has yet to announce fares or routes for its latest transport intervention
- High conversion, fuel and maintenance costs keep many private operators’ fares unchanged despite the national CNG rollout
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Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Some Nigerians are beginning to enjoy cheaper bus journeys as state governments expand subsidised transport services, but relief remains patchy, with many commercial operators maintaining their fares.
Kwara, Ekiti, Plateau and Enugu have introduced or expanded government-backed services to ease commuting costs. Lagos has received additional compressed natural gas (CNG) buses but has yet to announce a new fare structure under the latest federal intervention.
Source: Twitter
According to a prior Legit.ng report, the developments follow President Bola Tinubu’s directive that Nigerians should begin experiencing measurable reductions in transportation costs from October 1.
However, the rollout exposes a gap between providing buses and ensuring affordable journeys. Limited fleets, inadequate refuelling facilities and high operating costs continue to restrict the benefits.
Plateau offers ₦200 rides as Kwara expands services
In Plateau, the government is relying on its Tin City Metro Bus scheme while preparing for wider CNG adoption.
Transport Commissioner Davou Gyang Jatau said passengers pay ₦200 for the approximately 23-kilometre journey between Anguldi and Farin Gada. A return trip costs ₦400.
The state has signed an agreement with the National Institute for Transport Technology, Zaria, to establish a vehicle conversion centre in Jos. However, insufficient CNG refuelling infrastructure remains a major hurdle, ThisDay reported.
In Kwara, Transport Commissioner Aliyu Sabi said 20 federally supplied CNG buses had begun operating on routes including Ilorin–Abuja, Ilorin–Lagos and Ilorin–Enugu.
The state expects another 10 buses to support transport services for workers, students, and other residents.
Ekiti deploys buses, Enugu cuts selected fares
Ekiti has rolled out 15 CNG buses donated by the federal government, with Governor Biodun Oyebanji promising to expand the fleet and reduce residents’ transport burden.
The Ekiti State Transportation Agency said routes had been mapped out from Ado Ekiti to Lagos, Ibadan, Onitsha and Abuja.
In Enugu, fares on routes served by government-owned CNG buses have reportedly fallen by more than 50%. Commercial operators, however, have retained their charges.
Ralph Edeh, spokesperson for the state chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, said expensive fuel, spare parts and maintenance made fare reductions difficult for private operators.
The contrast means commuters’ savings depend heavily on whether subsidised buses serve their routes.
Lagos receives more buses, awaits new fare announcement
Lagos recently received 20 additional high-capacity CNG buses, taking its regulated CNG fleet to about 170, according to Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority Managing Director Abimbola Akinajo.
The vehicles are expected to strengthen services on corridors with capacity gaps, including Ikorodu–Tafawa Balewa Square.
However, the state has not announced a new fare structure, commencement date or designated routes for the latest fare-reduction programme.
For passengers, the immediate question is whether the expanded fleet will translate into lower daily commuting bills.
High costs keep other commuters waiting
Elsewhere, transporters say cheaper fares remain difficult to deliver.
In Ogun, an operator put the Abeokuta–Lagos fare at ₦6,000, and vehicle conversion costs at about ₦1.3 million. Benue Links has introduced a marginal fare increase, citing rising expenses.
Source: UGC
The presidential CNG initiative says more than 120,000 vehicles have been converted and over 90 refuelling stations established nationwide.
It also clarified that October 1 marked the start of rollout monitoring, rather than simultaneous fare cuts everywhere.
For commuters still paying unchanged fares, relief will depend on wider bus coverage, reliable refuelling infrastructure and affordable operating costs.
Operators release new fares in five states
Legit.ng earlier reported that Commuters in Kaduna, Oyo, Enugu, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory are still waiting for cheaper journeys after the October 1 target for transport fare reductions passed without noticeable relief on surveyed routes.
Passengers interviewed by The Guardian on October 2 said they continued to pay existing fares, while operators blamed expensive fuel and the lack of interventions that could lower their costs.
Source: Legit.ng
