FCT Residents Demand More CNG Buses To Ease Commuting Costs

KEY POINTS

• FCT residents have urged the Federal Government to increase the fleet of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, citing the current number as insufficient for the territory’s needs.
• While the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (Pi-CNG) has delivered units including four 50-seater hybrid buses, commuters report long wait times and limited route coverage.
• Concerns have been raised regarding fare pricing, with some residents noting that CNG bus fares are often only marginally cheaper than conventional commercial vehicles.

MAIN STORY

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are calling for an urgent expansion of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus fleet to address growing transportation hurdles. Despite the government fulfilling its initial promise under the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (Pi-CNG) launched in October 2023, commuters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the current intervention has not sufficiently eased pressure on major routes. Civil servant Mrs. Grace Samuel noted that passengers are often forced to wait for hours due to the limited availability of the 50-seater hybrid buses currently in operation.

A significant point of frustration for residents is the lack of comprehensive route coverage. Mrs. Jacinta Nwankwo, a nurse, pointed out that while buses are visible on the Mararaba axis, they are almost non-existent for those commuting to areas like the Apo Resettlement Area. Furthermore, some commuters, such as Mr. Ibrahim Musa, highlighted that the expected price relief has been minimal, with fares on some routes remaining nearly identical to petrol-powered vehicles. Stakeholders are now calling for stricter monitoring and regulated pricing to ensure the “cheaper public transport” goal is actually met.

Experts suggest that infrastructure remains the primary bottleneck. Transport and energy expert Mr. Gideon Onah acknowledged that while CNG conversion centers have expanded to over 140 nationwide, the actual impact on fares will remain “modest” until there is a rapid deployment of more buses and refueling stations. Additionally, energy analyst Mr. Johnson Orakwe noted that a lack of public awareness and safety assurance campaigns has left some residents skeptical. Experts agree that for the Pi-CNG to achieve its objective, the government must prioritize fleet scale-up and ensure that operator pricing decisions reflect the lower cost of gas.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

• “Most times, the buses are not available and you may wait for hours before one begins boarding,” said resident Mrs. Grace Samuel.
• Expert Gideon Onah emphasized: “If the buses are too few and the network of CNG stations is limited, the impact on fares… will remain modest.”
• “We expected the fares to be much lower, but on some routes, the difference is minimal,” noted commuter Mr. Ibrahim Musa.

WHAT’S NEXT

• The FCT Administration is expected to face continued pressure to deploy more of the Pi-CNG fleet to underserved routes like Apo and Garki.
• Authorities may introduce stricter fare compliance monitoring to ensure CNG operators pass fuel savings on to passengers.
• Pi-CNG partners are expected to accelerate the rollout of conversion kits and refueling infrastructure to reduce the operational costs for more commercial drivers.

BOTTOM LINE

The Bottom Line is that while the move toward CNG is a step in the right direction for cleaner energy, the current scale in the FCT is too small to change the daily reality for most commuters. Success depends not just on the type of fuel used, but on the frequency, availability, and affordability of the buses across all major residential routes.