FG commissions 37 electric buses for civil servants, full 100 by December 2026

The Federal Government has commissioned 37 electric buses as the first batch of 100 approved under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme. The full deployment will be completed by December 2026.

The buses were unveiled on Wednesday at Eagle Square, Abuja, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, describing the initiative as a significant step towards improving working conditions for government employees.

Pilot phase and nationwide rollout

Walson-Jack described the commissioning as her “parting gift” to federal civil servants, coming less than 24 hours before the end of her tenure as Head of the Civil Service. “What we have here is 37 buses, being the first instalment of the 100 Electric Buses,” she said.

She noted that transportation costs and challenges directly affect workers’ finances, safety, punctuality and productivity. “For many Civil Servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality, and ultimately their productivity,” she said.

The buses will initially operate on selected routes under a pilot phase before being expanded nationwide. They will eventually be deployed to Federal Secretariats across the states to extend the benefits to civil servants outside Abuja.

“A Special Purpose Vehicle has been established to ensure their proper management, maintenance and long-term sustainability,” Walson-Jack added.

Capacity, local production and timeline

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, said the initiative goes beyond transportation, bringing together workers’ welfare, productivity, industrialisation and technology. Each of the 100 electric buses can carry up to 200 passengers and cover at least 200 kilometres on a full charge.

Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Olu Osanipin, said the first deployment marks the beginning of a phased rollout. In a statement on his X handle, he said the “first deployment marks the beginning of a phased rollout, with the full complement of 100 electric buses expected to be deployed by December 2026.”

Enoh commended the NADDC and other stakeholders for their roles in the project. He urged local manufacturers to invest in production facilities, increase local content and develop products capable of competing in the global market.

He said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that its economic reforms produce tangible results through industrial growth, job creation, infrastructure development and improved living standards for Nigerians.

For Nigerian civil servants, the programme could ease daily commuting costs and free up income. For businesses, improved punctuality and productivity among workers may help lift overall output.