The Federal Government on Wednesday commissioned 37 electric buses under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme to ease transportation challenges faced by federal civil servants.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, inaugurated the buses at Eagle Square, Abuja, describing the initiative as her “parting gift” to civil servants.
Walson-Jack said the 37 buses were the first instalment of the 100 electric buses approved under the programme.
“What we have here is 37 buses, being the first instalment of the 100 electric buses,” she said.
She said affordable and reliable transportation would reduce the financial burden on workers, improve punctuality and enhance productivity.
“For many civil servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality and ultimately their productivity,” she said.
The HOCSF said the buses would initially operate on selected routes under a pilot scheme before full deployment to Federal Secretariats across the country.
She added that a Special Purpose Vehicle had been established to manage, maintain and ensure the sustainability of the buses.
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. John Owan Enoh, described the initiative as a combination of workers’ welfare, productivity, industrialisation and technology.
Enoh said each bus could accommodate up to 200 passengers and travel at least 200 kilometres on a full charge.
The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr Olu Osanipin, said the first deployment marked the beginning of a phased rollout.
He said the remaining buses were expected to be deployed by December 2026.
Enoh urged local manufacturers to invest in factories, deepen local content and produce globally competitive electric vehicles.
He said the Federal Government remained committed to translating its economic reforms into industries, jobs, infrastructure and improved living standards for Nigerians.
