Nigerian Government Inaugurates Electric Buses for Civil Servants
By Cynthia Okere, Lagos
The Nigerian Government has inaugurated the first batch of electric mass transit buses under a 100-bus programme designed to reduce transportation challenges and improve the welfare of federal civil servants across the country.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, inaugurated the buses on Wednesday at Eagle Square, Abuja, as part of the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme.
Although 100 electric buses are planned under the initiative, 37 have so far been delivered as the first batch, with the remaining buses expected to be deployed in phases.
Walson-Jack said the intervention was aimed at providing federal workers with safer, more reliable and affordable transportation while reducing the financial pressure associated with daily commuting.
She noted that transportation challenges affect not only workers’ finances but also their safety, punctuality and productivity, describing improved transportation as an investment in a more effective Federal Civil Service.
The buses were acquired through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, while the National Automotive Design and Development Council was involved in the project in line with the government’s automotive development objectives.
The programme is expected to begin on selected routes before being extended to Federal Secretariats across the country. A special purpose vehicle has also been established to oversee the management, maintenance and sustainability of the buses.
Walson-Jack, whose tenure as Head of the Civil Service ends on Thursday, August 27, described the initiative as a significant final intervention for workers as she leaves office.
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, said the project also provided an opportunity to promote local content, Nigerian manufacturing and the adoption of cleaner transport technology.
The electric bus initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to modernise transportation and promote cleaner alternatives to conventional fuel-powered vehicles.