160,000 Nigerians Benefitted From Yuletide 50% Transport Slash — FG

The Federal Government says 160,000 passengers across the country benefitted from its Yuletide transportation waiver.

The Nigerian government had announced a 50 percent slash on road transport fares and free train rides to ease commuters’ burdens during Yuletide.

Weeks after the move, the Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake described the intervention scheme as a success owing to the number of passengers that benefited from it across the country.

“As the Chairman of the Committee on the Implementation of the End of Year Transportation Subsidy Programme of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I am pleased to report that our programme has been a tremendous success, benefiting over 160,000 passengers across the country,” he wrote on his X handle late Sunday.

“This initiative, approved by President Tinubu on December 19, 2023, provided free transportation on the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) routes and a 50 percent subsidy on transport fares for passengers traveling on 30 bus routes operated by the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria, ALBON.”

While reiterating the reason for the move, Alake also shared further details about the transportation waiver.

“I am proud to share that between December 21 and December 31, 2023, the NRC conveyed 71,000 passengers, while buses under ALBON carried 77,122 passengers. Additionally, 652 bus trips from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766 passengers,” he added.

“These numbers demonstrate that a total of 163,878 passengers benefitted from the Presidential Yuletide Transportation Subsidy in the first 10 days of the programme.”

The minister, however, called for more cooperation “for the return trips until Thursday, January 4, 2024, as the programme is still ongoing.

“The success of this initiative exemplifies President Tinubu’s care and concern for the Nigerian people, and we will continue to monitor compliance and provide intervention when necessary”.