FG hands five electric buses to Kano operators, targets 40% fare cut

The Federal Government has handed five electric buses to two transport operators in Kano State under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV). The deployment targets at least a 40% cut in fares for commuters.

Each bus has a 20-seater capacity. The vehicles went to Camel Mobility and Kano Metropolitan Transport Company.

Fare relief and fleet expansion

Ahmed Katuka, Manager of Assets at Pi-CNG & EV, said at the handover ceremony in Kano that the buses should reduce commuter fares by at least 40% compared with prevailing conventional transport fares.

“This strategic intervention shows the Federal Government’s determination to accelerate the transition towards cleaner energy and modern mobility solutions while improving access to affordable public transportation,” Katuka said.

“The deployment is expected to significantly reduce the cost of transportation for commuters, with fares projected to be at least 40% lower than prevailing conventional transport fares,” he added.

Katuka said the electric buses would complement the existing fleet of 14-seater and high-capacity buses already deployed to Kano under the initiative. He said the intervention should also lower carbon emissions, improve passenger safety and comfort, and encourage private-sector participation in cleaner urban mobility.

Operators ask for infrastructure

Ahmed Garba-Ahmed, Chief Operating Officer of Camel Mobility, described the initiative as a welcome development for the transport sector and pledged that the company would put the buses into operation to ease commuting for residents.

Garba-Ahmed said similar electric buses were already operating in Abuja, Lagos and other parts of the country. He called on the Kano State Government to provide dedicated transport corridors, designated bus stops, a conducive operating environment and adequate security infrastructure to support efficient operation of the vehicles.

Ahmad Rufai-Yusuf, Manager of the Kano Division of Kano Metropolitan Transport Company, said electric buses would reduce fuel-related operating costs for transport operators and, in turn, help lower fares for passengers.

Lagos and national CNG push

The Kano deployment comes as Lagos has begun phasing out diesel-powered buses from its regulated public transport system. The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is restricting operators from introducing new diesel buses.

The policy took effect at the beginning of 2026. It requires new buses entering the regulated system to run on compressed natural gas or electricity, while existing diesel-powered buses are to be progressively replaced.

LAMATA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abimbola Akinajo, said the transition was aimed at reducing transport emissions and managing rising operating costs. The authority had about 150 CNG buses before receiving 20 additional high-capacity buses from the Federal Government in September.

In October, Pi-CNG & EV Chairman Ismael Ahmed proposed making the transition to CNG mandatory for commercial vehicles, arguing that the programme should focus on achieving nationwide adoption. Ahmed said Nigeria has about 12 million vehicles, with commercial vehicles accounting for an estimated 55% to 60% of the total.

He also noted that lower transport fares were already being recorded on some routes where CNG and electric buses operate, although the reductions had yet to reach passengers widely enough.

The Federal Government is targeting the conversion of one million commercial petrol vehicles to CNG by 2027. It also plans to expand the nationwide network of CNG refuelling stations to 1,000. About 120,000 vehicles had been converted as of the latest data published on the initiative’s website, while the programme had attracted more than $2.5 billion in investment.

The Kano handover is a test of whether cheaper fuel and electric power can translate into lower bus fares for Nigerian commuters. The operators’ call for corridors, bus stops and security shows that the fare target will depend on supporting infrastructure as much as on the vehicles themselves.