The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is considering a nationwide reduction in transport fares through a proposed Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transit programme aimed at easing the burden of high transportation costs on Nigerians.
The proposed National Affordable CNG Transit Programme (NACTP) will leverage the lower operating cost of CNG to provide cheaper public transportation across the country.
Under the plan, state governments are expected to support the conversion of vehicles to CNG, provide transport fleets and develop supporting infrastructure. Participating transport operators would, in return, commit to reducing passenger fares.
The governors, however, did not announce a commencement date, saying further work was required to finalise the programme’s financing and implementation framework.
Speaking after the NGF meeting in Abuja, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri said the initiative was designed to cushion the impact of high transportation costs following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Diri explained that cheaper transportation could also bring down the prices of goods and services because the cost of moving food and other commodities is ultimately passed on to consumers.
According to him, the cheaper cost of gas compared with petrol makes CNG a viable option for reducing the operating expenses of commercial transport operators.
The governor said the initiative was focused on finding practical ways to ease the economic hardship faced by Nigerians rather than returning to the former petrol subsidy regime, which placed a heavy burden on government finances.
Diri also dismissed claims that state governments had failed to account for funds accruing to them following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
The NGF further received a presentation from the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, on opportunities for states to participate in CANEX Weekend 2026 and the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027, both scheduled to hold in Lagos.
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