The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is exploring a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing public transport fares through the adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered vehicles.
The proposed National Affordable CNG Transit Programme (NACTP) is designed to take advantage of the lower operating costs of CNG and make transportation more affordable for Nigerians.
The governors disclosed this in a communiqué issued after their meeting in Abuja on Wednesday and signed by the NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Under the proposed arrangement, state governments would support the conversion of vehicles to CNG, provide transport fleets and help develop the infrastructure required to sustain the programme.
In return, participating transport operators would be expected to reduce fares for passengers.
The forum, however, did not announce when the scheme would begin, saying discussions were still ongoing to finalise its financing and implementation framework.
Speaking after the meeting, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri said the initiative was part of efforts by the governors to ease the burden of rising transportation costs, particularly following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Diri said cheaper transportation could also help bring down the prices of food and other goods because transport costs are incorporated into the movement and distribution of commodities.
“Transportation is key,” the governor said, stressing that reducing the cost of moving goods could have a wider impact on the economy.
He argued that CNG could provide a cheaper alternative to petrol for commercial transport operators because of its lower operating cost.
According to him, the objective is not to reverse the petrol subsidy removal but to introduce measures capable of cushioning its impact on Nigerians.
“The impact is expected to be on our people—the very common man that we all talk about,” Diri said.
The governor also dismissed claims that state governments had failed to account for additional revenue accruing to them following the removal of the subsidy.
“That cannot be true. But we will leave that debate for another day,” he said.
At the meeting, the governors also 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 events are scheduled to hold in Lagos.
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