Many Nigerian commuters are still waiting for promised reductions in transportation fares, despite the Federal Government’s October 1 target for cheaper public transport.
Checks at major motor parks across several states showed that fares remained largely unchanged, with passengers continuing to pay existing rates. In Kano, for instance, passengers were still paying N11,000 from Kano to Abuja, N7,000 to Kaduna and Bauchi, and N17,000 to Yola.
The Federal Government’s plan is largely based on the deployment of compressed natural gas, CNG, and electric vehicles to reduce operators’ costs and translate the savings into lower fares. President Bola Tinubu had said the initiative was expected to deliver measurable reductions in transportation costs from October 1.
However, limited CNG infrastructure, the cost of vehicle conversion, rising fuel prices and the dominance of privately owned transport operators have slowed the wider reduction in fares.
While some states and routes have recorded lower fares through CNG-powered transport, commuters in many parts of the country are still waiting to feel the promised relief.
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