The Lagos State Government has taken delivery of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric buses as part of efforts to expand public transportation, reduce commuting costs and promote cleaner mobility.
The buses were received on Thursday and handed over to operators under the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) at the BRT depot in Ketu.
LAMATA received the CNG buses through the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG & EV), designed to provide cleaner, more efficient and affordable transportation across the country.
Speaking at the event, Lagos Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the intervention would increase passenger capacity, reduce waiting times on supported routes and help lower transportation costs.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for facilitating the deployment of CNG and electric buses to states, describing the initiative as an important step towards a more sustainable public transport system.
Osiyemi said the buses would provide residents with more accessible and affordable transportation while reducing dependence on conventional fuel and improving air quality.
He also called for increased Federal Government support and private-sector investment in CNG infrastructure, fleet financing, maintenance, electric-vehicle charging, ticketing and fleet management.
LAMATA Managing Director and CEO, Abimbola Akinajo, said Lagos currently has about 150 CNG buses, including 36 allocated to operators under the agency’s regulatory framework.
She said the additional 20 buses would strengthen service capacity and improve connectivity across the metropolis.
Akinajo disclosed that LAMATA would no longer accept new diesel buses from operators, while existing diesel fleets would be progressively replaced with CNG and electric buses.
According to her, the transition is helping operators manage rising operating costs following the sharp increase in diesel prices and is helping to moderate pressure on transport fares.
She said the long-term objective is to develop a fully electric regulated bus system in Lagos.
Meanwhile, Oando Plc has completed test runs of its electric buses, with an initial batch of 50 buses shipped to Lagos as part of a planned fleet of 500.
Dana has also supplied 30 CNG buses through LAMATA for public transportation.
Overall, more than 2,000 buses are expected to enter the Lagos transport system through private-sector participation under a public-private partnership arrangement already ratified by the Lagos State House of Assembly.