By: Rasheed Yusuf
In a major push for clean transportation and gender-inclusive climate action, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has inaugurated 50 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered buses and launched a N1 billion empowerment fund for 5,000 women in Edo State.
The dual interventions, under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), are designed to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal while accelerating Nigeria’s transition to low-emission transport and strengthening women-led green enterprises.
Clean Transport to Cut Emissions, Cost
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Mrs Tinubu said affordable, clean transportation remains critical to national productivity and climate adaptation.
“Behind every bus is a human story. There is a student who needs to get to school. There is a trader who needs to get to the market. There is a civil servant going to work. That is why today’s event is a story of renewed hope,” she said.
The First Lady noted that CNG buses emit up to 30% less carbon dioxide and significantly lower particulate matter compared to petrol-powered buses, aligning with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
She urged the Edo State Government to invest in technical and vocational training for youths to build local capacity for the CNG value chain — including technicians, engineers, drivers, mechanics and fleet managers — describing it as a green jobs opportunity.
N1bn Fund Targets Women in Green Economy
The N1 billion fund will provide grants to 5,000 women, particularly those in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), agriculture and trading, to improve household income and resilience to economic shocks exacerbated by climate change.
Analysts say women, who constitute over 45% of Nigeria’s informal economy, are disproportionately affected by both fuel price hikes and climate impacts.
Governors, Stakeholders React
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, said the buses would reduce commuting costs and cut transport-related emissions in Benin metropolis, while Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms as pro-poor and climate-smart.
On the sidelines, Dr Betta Edu, Director of Women Mobilisation, APC Presidential Campaign Council, described the interventions as practical steps toward inclusive energy transition.
“CNG is not just about transport cost, it is about cleaner air, climate action and job creation. And empowering 5,000 women means empowering 5,000 households to adapt and thrive. This is how you include women in economic reforms,” Edu said.
She reaffirmed the Directorate’s commitment to mobilising women across the 774 LGAs for the Renewed Hope Agenda, with focus on climate resilience and livelihoods.
During a courtesy visit to the Palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, the First Lady briefed the monarch on RHI interventions in education, health, agriculture and clean energy.
