President Bola Tinubu’s federal government has announced a 50 per cent discount on road transportation fares for the yuletide period. Tinubu’s minister of transportation, Said Ahmed Alkali, disclosed that the scheme would run from December 24, 2024, to January 5, 2025.
During this period, the government aims to transport 16,944 persons daily, with a total of 271,104 passengers expected to be moved across the country. To achieve this, 708 vehicles will be deployed across 144 routes, connecting Abuja and Lagos to all state capitals except Anambra State, where the pickup point will be Onitsha.
FG issues directive to NURTW
The Minister of Transportation has directed road transportation unions to ensure that the palliative buses are moved to designated loading points early on December 24. This will enable Nigerians to take advantage of the initiative and join their loved ones for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
To use the scheme, passengers from Abuja will depart from Eagle Square at 6:00 a.m., while those from Lagos will depart from Oshodi Terminal 3 for northern routes and Oshodi Terminal 2 for southern routes. Some luxury buses will also depart from Oshodi, Lagos, between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. daily.
Passengers are advised to pay 50% of the usual fare and to avoid rushing due to the limited number of vehicles available. This initiative is expected to ease the burden of transportation costs for Nigerians during the holiday season.
