By Faridat Salifu
Transport fares in Abuja’s Area One park have dropped by 40% following the deployment of compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered taxis, offering immediate relief to commuters amid ongoing fuel price pressures.
The fare reduction—announced over the weekend by the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PiCNG)—comes after more than half of the vehicles at the busy motor park were converted to run on cleaner, cheaper CNG.
The move is being hailed as a breakthrough in Nigeria’s push toward affordable, sustainable urban transport.
“This is a practical solution to rising transport costs, and it’s a step forward in our national energy transition,” said David Idako, PiCNG’s Northern Regional Coordinator, during a field briefing. He explained that the fare cuts were made possible through a partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), whose members operate the newly converted vehicles.
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Under the new pricing, routes such as Area One to Gwagwalada and Bwari Dutse have dropped from N1,500 to N900. Shorter trips like Area One to Wuse have been cut from N420 to N240. The changes took effect immediately, with clearly labeled vehicles and a joint task force deployed to monitor compliance.
The development is not only an economic relief effort but also part of a broader strategy to reduce dependence on petrol and improve the environmental footprint of Nigeria’s transport sector. With fuel prices soaring after subsidy removal, CNG offers a cost-effective and cleaner alternative that could reshape the country’s urban mobility systems.
Officials say the initiative will soon expand to other parks in Abuja and eventually nationwide. According to PiCNG, at least 10 CNG stations are operational in Abuja, with more expected in the coming weeks to support increased demand.
Transport union leaders have thrown their support behind the program. “You buy petrol for N20,000, but the same work can be done on gas for N4,500,” said Ibrahim Jibril, Secretary of the NURTW’s Garki Branch. “That’s why we’re committed to helping this succeed—for the benefit of both drivers and passengers.”
Beyond cost savings, PiCNG says the shift will create jobs, cut emissions, and reduce pressure on the economy. For everyday commuters, it means one thing: affordable and accessible transport is no longer a distant promise it’s now in motion.
