NURTW Chairman Urges FG To Extend CNG Transport Subsidy To Interstate Operators

Lawal made the appeal following President Bola Tinubu’s October 1 declaration of plans to subsidise transportation through CNG-powered and electric vehicles, amid growing concerns over the rising cost of interstate travel and the impact of economic hardship on passengers and transport operators.

Speaking when LEADERSHIP Newspapers visited the park, one of the oldest in Kaduna State, on Monday, November 2, 2026, Lawal said the prevailing economic situation had made travelling increasingly difficult for ordinary Nigerians, forcing many to reconsider journeys that were not essential.

He, however, said the branch had continued to operate interstate routes, connecting passengers to destinations across the country, including Port Harcourt, Enugu and Aba, despite the economic challenges.

Lawal, a commercial transporter for decades, said many operators were experiencing declining patronage as the rising cost of living continued to erode passengers’ purchasing power.

He explained that the union had tried to balance the interests of its members with the financial difficulties faced by passengers by avoiding arbitrary fare increases despite rising operating costs.

“Sometimes, we load only three buses in a day as big as this park is,” he said.

The NURTW chairman disclosed that the fare from Kaduna to Port Harcourt, which previously stood at about N30,000, had risen to N35,000, expressing concern about the ability of passengers to afford the cost of interstate travel.

“We know that the masses are suffering daily. We always sympathise with our customers because we understand the economic problems in the country,” he said.

Lawal lamented that his branch did not have CNG-powered buses, despite the federal government’s initiative to promote cheaper and cleaner energy for transportation.

He noted that some union members had been offered opportunities to benefit from the CNG programme through designated slots but expressed concern that the initiative had yet to reach a significant number of operators at the branch level.

He also identified the rising costs of vehicle maintenance, spare parts and fuel as major challenges affecting transport businesses, adding that the economic hardship had reduced the number of vehicles operating daily at the park.

According to him, some operators could only afford to put two or three vehicles on the road daily, further affecting their operations and revenue.

He, therefore, called on the federal government to ensure that the proposed transport subsidy reached more commercial transport operators, particularly those serving interstate routes, to bring down fares and improve passenger patronage.

Lawal maintained that effective implementation of the CNG and electric vehicle initiative would ease the financial burden on passengers, support the survival of transport businesses and improve mobility across the country.

A passenger identified as Ngozi, who was sighted at the park, also lamented the rising cost of interstate travel, saying many Nigerians now considered whether a journey was absolutely necessary before embarking on it.

“Some passengers now believe that any journey must be very important before they embark on it.

“Some of us even prefer to send money to our loved ones rather than travel if it is not compulsory,” she said.

Ngozi added that travelling from Kaduna to Aba, Abia State, could require a minimum of N100,000 for transportation alone, describing the cost as a major burden on passengers.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government, through the Kaduna State Transport Authority (KSTA), continues to provide free intercity CNG-powered bus services to residents, a programme that predates President Tinubu’s October 1 directive.