President Bola Tinubu on Monday inaugurated 30 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered buses at the State House, Abuja, as part of efforts to mitigate the transportation challenges faced by Nigerians following the removal of the fuel subsidy. The buses, acquired from Innoson Motors, a Nigerian vehicle manufacturing company, are expected to significantly reduce transportation costs, especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
During the inauguration ceremony, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of transitioning to natural gas as a fuel source, highlighting that commercial vehicles account for approximately 80% of Nigeria’s petrol consumption, which costs the country trillions of naira monthly. The introduction of CNG-powered buses is seen as a crucial step toward reducing this financial burden and promoting sustainable energy use.
“I am very honored to be here to receive these buses on behalf of the government, marking a significant innovation in our transportation system,” Tinubu stated. “Utilizing natural gas to power our transportation industry is the next way to go, especially for a country like Nigeria, with our abundant gas resources. This is an economic necessity that we must embrace.”
Five of the 30 CNG buses were driven to the forecourt of the Presidential Villa for the official inauguration. The President assured Nigerians that the deployment of these buses would lead to lower transportation costs, which would, in turn, positively impact other areas such as food prices.
Winifred Akpani, Chairman of the Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), described the unveiling of the buses as a “game changer” for the transport sector. She praised Innoson Motors for their contribution to this initiative and expressed confidence that the CNG buses would ease transportation challenges across the country.
“We are proud to say that these buses, designed and manufactured by Innoson Motors, are hybrid vehicles capable of running on CNG and diesel,” Akpani said. “This initiative will contribute significantly to reducing transportation costs and, by extension, the cost of living for Nigerians.”
The National Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) also contributed 10 buses to the project. Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, highlighted the environmental and economic benefits of the CNG buses, noting that CNG is not only cleaner but also more cost-effective than traditional petrol.
“This is a significant step towards providing cleaner, cheaper energy for transportation,” Arukwe said. “These buses will greatly reduce transport fares, helping the economy by making it easier and more affordable for people to move around.”
The inauguration of these buses marks a significant milestone in President Tinubu’s efforts to alleviate the economic impact of the fuel subsidy removal, with further plans to expand the fleet and continue supporting sustainable transportation solutions in Nigeria.