Nigeria Transport Fares to Drop From October 1—President Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that they will begin to see a measurable reduction in transportation costs across the country starting October 1, 2026.

Following an August meeting with the 36 state governors, an implementation committee for the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme was established under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, chaired by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The initiative aims to scale up cheaper, alternative energy infrastructure to cushion the impact of the global energy crisis on commuters.

According to the President, the shift toward Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Electric Vehicles (EV) is already yielding significant cost savings across several states.

It stated that in Borno State, CNG and electric public transport services have brought fares down to between ₦50 and ₦100 on corridors where commercial operators charge up to ₦600, while in Kaduna State, a fleet of 100 CNG-powered buses provided free transit in their first year of operation, carrying 3.2 million passengers and saving citizens over ₦3.5 billion.

It reported similar initiatives in Oyo, Adamawa, Enugu, and other states.

Rejecting the Fuel Subsidy Regime

Addressing critics advocating for a return to petrol subsidies amid rising global crude prices, President Tinubu firmly rejected the proposal. He described the old policy as a “ruinous petrol subsidy regime that consumed trillions of naira” and left Nigeria vulnerable to international market shocks.

“Nigeria cannot control events in global energy markets,” the President noted. “But as a gas-rich nation, we can reduce our exposure.”

Call to Accelerate Prior to October Deadline

President Tinubu urged all remaining state governments to collaborate closely with transport unions and commercial operators ahead of the October 1 target.