FG Commissions 100 Electric Buses to Ease Transport Burden on Civil Servants

The Federal Government has commissioned electric buses under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme as part of efforts to reduce transportation challenges facing federal civil servants and improve workers’ welfare.

The buses were unveiled on Wednesday at Eagle Square in Abuja, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, describing the initiative as a major milestone in the government’s efforts to support civil servants.

The first phase of the programme involves the deployment of 37 buses out of the 100 electric buses approved under the initiative.

Walson-Jack described the launch as her “parting gift” to federal civil servants, coming less than 24 hours before the end of her tenure as Head of the Civil Service.

“What we have here is 37 buses, being the first instalment of the 100 Electric Buses,” she said.

She noted that transportation costs have a direct impact on workers’ finances, safety, punctuality and productivity, stressing that affordable and dependable transportation was important to the effective delivery of public services.

“For many Civil Servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality, and ultimately their productivity,” she said.

According to her, the initiative is expected to help civil servants save money, reduce commuting risks and arrive at their workplaces with greater energy to perform their duties.

Walson-Jack disclosed that the buses would initially operate on selected routes under a pilot phase before being fully deployed. She added that the programme would eventually extend to Federal Secretariats across the states.

To ensure the sustainability of the initiative, she said a Special Purpose Vehicle had been established to oversee the management, maintenance and long-term operation of the buses.

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Owan Enoh, described the project as more than a transportation intervention, saying it combines workers’ welfare with productivity, industrialisation and technology.

Enoh said each of the 100 electric buses could accommodate up to 200 passengers and travel a minimum of 200 kilometres on a full charge.

The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Olu Osanipin, also confirmed that the deployment would be carried out in phases.

According to Osanipin, the first deployment represents the beginning of the phased rollout, with the full complement of 100 electric buses expected to be deployed by December 2026.

Enoh commended the NADDC and other stakeholders involved in the project, while urging local manufacturers to invest in production facilities, increase local content and develop products capable of competing in the global market.

He said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that its economic reforms translate into industrial growth, employment opportunities, infrastructure development and improved living standards for Nigerians.