*Nigerians Need Delivery, Not Another ‘Animal Farm’ Promise, on President’s CNG Plan
Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has said that his targeted subsidy plan would ensure the production of cheaper fuel and, in turn, lead to cheaper transport fares.
President Bola Tinubu, in a statement on Thursday, said that because “cheaper fuel must mean cheaper transport fares,” he had reached an agreement with governors to “cut transport fares nationwide” by leveraging CNG and electric vehicles.
But Atiku, in a statement by his Media Office on Friday, faulted Tinubu’s proposal, describing it as another ‘Animal Farm’ promise.
He insisted that his proposed innovative subsidy would not only ensure the production of cheaper fuel but would also reduce the cost of transportation and food. Additionally, he said, it would support Nigerian production, protect consumers and put more purchasing power in the hands of Nigerians.
Conversely, the ADC Presidential candidate said the plan by Tinubu to work with state governors by leveraging CNG and electric vehicles raises more questions than answers.
He asked: “Is the government announcing a fully operational programme, or merely announcing a target for a programme whose implementation framework is still being developed”?
He noted that while Tinubu has said that the Federal Government and governors have agreed to begin implementing measures aimed at reducing transport fares, with the goal of Nigerians benefiting from lower fares from October 1, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, in its communiqué following its meeting on August 26, said that the proposed National Affordable CNG Transit Programme still requires further consideration of its financing and implementation framework.
Governor Douye Diri also indicated that the implementation timeline would be worked out with stakeholders.
“That means Nigerians deserve clarity. What exactly will be operational on October 1?” he queried.
“The government says more than 120,000 vehicles have already been converted to CNG and that additional conversion kits are being deployed. But Nigerians need more than a headline figure.
“It is pertinent to know how many of those vehicles are commercial passenger vehicles. How many are currently operating on CNG every day? How many passengers are actually benefiting from reduced fares?
“And in which states and on which routes? These are the figures that matter.”
The Waziri Adamawa pointed out that “a station that has been announced, ordered or planned is not the same as a station that is operational, supplied and accessible to commercial transport operators.”
According to him, the Tinubu-led APC government should, therefore, publish the locations, status and commissioning timetable of these stations.
Most importantly, he said, there must be a transparent system for ensuring that the savings reach commuters.
“If government supports vehicle conversion, provides financing, supplies fleets or subsidises infrastructure, then participating operators should have clearly defined fare obligations.
“There should be: a published baseline fare; a published reduced fare; identified routes and participating operators; transparent details of government support; a clear implementation timetable; and an enforcement mechanism for operators who receive public support but fail to pass the savings to passengers.”
The former Vice President observed that the Tinubu government’s own previous CNG experience demonstrates that enforcement matters.
He recalled that in 2025, the Federal Government announced a 40 per cent fare reduction on CNG-serviced routes in Abuja and deployed a task force to monitor compliance. Yet reports at the time also highlighted problems with CNG availability and the ability of converted vehicles to access adequate supplies.
“The lesson is clear: A fare reduction announced in Abuja is not the same as a nationwide transport solution.
“Nigeria is a large country with very different transport systems and levels of CNG infrastructure.
“A commuter in Lagos, Abuja or another major city may have access to CNG infrastructure that is unavailable to commuters elsewhere.
“So, when the government says Nigerians nationwide will benefit from cheaper fares, Nigerians are entitled to ask for a state-by-state implementation plan.”
According to him, “October 1 should, therefore, not be another political deadline. It should be a measurable delivery deadline. By October 1, Nigerians should be able to ask: How much has my fare actually fallen?”
He said these questions should have clear answers because Nigerians have endured an extended cost-of-living crisis.
“Transport costs do not merely affect commuters; they affect the price of food, goods and services because everything has to be moved from one location to another.”
He said the Federal Government and state governments must publish the numbers: How many vehicles? How many routes? How many states? How much funding? What fare reduction? What enforcement mechanism? And what happens where CNG infrastructure is not yet available?
The former Vice President said the government must now demonstrate that principle in practice because Nigerians do not pay their transport fares with policy statements; they pay with money they have earned. They do not commute on announcements; they commute on buses.
He said that on October 1, the only announcement that will truly matter to the ordinary Nigerian is the one made at the bus stop: “The fare has come down.”
