Transport fares in Abuja could begin falling on selected routes from today, October 1, as the Federal Government expands its use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses and other alternative-energy vehicles to reduce the cost of public transportation. The October 1 target follows an agreement between the Federal Government and state governments to ensure that savings from cheaper fuel reach commuters through lower fares.
The development is particularly important for residents of the Federal Capital Territory, where daily transportation remains a major expense for workers, students, traders and other residents who depend heavily on commercial buses to move around the city and surrounding communities.
However, commuters should not expect every route to become cheaper at once, as the programme is being introduced gradually and the available reductions are currently concentrated on specific CNG-supported services.
CNG Buses Already Offer Lower Fares on Some Abuja Routes
The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV) has said lower fares are already available on some routes, with further reductions expected as more buses enter commercial operation.
Ismaeel Ahmed, Executive Chairman of the initiative, specifically mentioned the Gwagwalada–Abuja route while discussing the October 1 target. He said passengers using CNG buses on the route could pay at least 40 per cent less than they would on conventional transport.
Several other routes in the FCT have also recorded differences between CNG and diesel-powered transport. According to Pi-CNG & EV, passengers travelling between Kubwa and Berger pay ₦500 on CNG buses, compared with ₦1,000 on diesel buses.
Apo–Nyanya/Mararaba fares stood at ₦500 for CNG buses, compared with ₦1,000 for diesel buses. Masaka–Berger was listed at ₦600 instead of ₦1,000, while Berger–Gwagwalada cost ₦700 compared with ₦1,200.
The Presidency has also previously highlighted reductions on other Abuja routes. Area 1–Gwagwalada fares fell from ₦1,500 to ₦900, while the Nyanya fare dropped from ₦700 to ₦420. The Wuse fare also fell from ₦400 to ₦240.
These figures show the potential effect of using cheaper fuel for commercial transportation, although the actual fare a passenger pays can still depend on the operator, vehicle and route.
What the October 1 Transport Fare Target Means
The October 1 deadline is part of the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, which aims to expand access to lower-cost transportation by increasing the number of CNG and electric vehicles used for commercial services.
President Bola Tinubu announced the target after discussions with the 36 state governors, with the Federal Government calling for measurable reductions in transportation costs from October 1. The programme is intended to move beyond individual pilot routes and eventually reach more commuters across the country.
The Federal Government has also reported significant growth in CNG vehicle conversion. It says more than 120,000 vehicles have already undergone conversion to CNG, while additional conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure continue to support the programme.
For Abuja residents, however, the impact will depend heavily on how quickly more CNG buses become available and how widely operators adopt the alternative fuel. The FCT is expected to receive 26 additional buses as part of the ongoing expansion, according to Pi-CNG officials.
There are also practical challenges that could affect how quickly the reductions spread. CNG refuelling infrastructure remains uneven, while some drivers have raised concerns about long queues at stations and the cost of converting vehicles. These challenges mean that lower fares may remain limited to particular services until the supporting infrastructure expands.
For commuters, the safest approach is therefore to check the fare before boarding rather than assume that every operator has reduced prices. Passengers should also look out for CNG-supported buses operating on their usual routes.
If the Federal Government and state authorities continue adding buses, conversion centres and refuelling stations, more commuters could eventually benefit from the lower operating costs associated with CNG-powered transportation.
For now, transport fares in Abuja are not uniformly cheaper across the city, but October 1 marks another stage in the government’s effort to extend lower-cost transport to more routes and passengers.