In a major push to ease transportation costs and boost clean energy adoption, the federal government has announced a 40% reduction in transport fares for vehicles powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in Abuja.

The fare cut, rolled out under the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) in collaboration with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), was unveiled during a field briefing at the Area 1 Motor Park on Friday.

PCNGI Programme Director Michael Oluagbemi, represented by Regional Coordinator for CNG Expansion (North), David Idako, said the move followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to reduce the financial burden on commuters and promote energy efficiency.

“This reduction is part of Mr. President’s effort to reduce the sufferings of Nigerians,” Oluagbemi said. “We’ve worked with the NURTW to convert a significant number of commercial vehicles to CNG, and in return, fares have been slashed by 40%.”

To enforce the new fare regime, a dedicated taskforce of NURTW and PCNGI officials has been deployed to monitor compliance. “Vehicles that have complied are tagged with PCNGI stickers and clear price signs,” he added. “If they don’t comply, such a driver will be reported to the task force and be disciplined.”

NURTW Secretary for the Garki Branch, Ibrahim Jibril, confirmed the union’s full support for the initiative, highlighting the cost benefits for both passengers and drivers.

“CNG costs around N4,500 compared to N20,000 for petrol. Even after reducing fares by 40%, drivers are still saving money,” Jibril explained. “We’ve converted almost 70% of vehicles in Area 1 and will continue expanding.”

PCNGI’s Commercial Coordinator, Tosin Coker, acknowledged concerns about fuel availability but assured the public of ongoing infrastructure