UNILAG Students to Pay N150 Per Stop as FG Introduces CNG Transport Scheme

By Oluwatobiloba Omole

Students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) will soon pay a fixed fare of N150 per stop, under a new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transport scheme introduced by the Federal Government (FG) to reduce transportation costs on campus.

The fixed fare was announced in Lagos by the Group Chief Executive Officer of Femadec Group, Fola Akinola, during a press conference on the initiative.

According to Akinola, the scheme is designed to keep transportation affordable for students despite possible increases in transport costs in the future.

“What this means is that irrespective of what happens in the next couple of months or years, we intend to keep transport costs for students per stop at 150 Naira,” he said.

As part of the first phase of the programme, five new CNG-powered buses will be deployed to participating universities, including UNILAG.

A representative of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG), Tosin Coker, said 100 buses had been earmarked for 20 universities across the country under the first phase of the programme.

He added that five buses had already been allocated to Lagos, while more buses would be distributed to other states.

Coker noted that the government would continue to make CNG conversion kits available based on demand, stressing the importance of reducing transportation costs for students.

“It is essential to note that transport costs for the average household are about 30 per cent of their daily expenses,” he said.

“But consider university students who are not even working, so how much more of a percentage is on their own expenses?”

He added that the FG’s role was to support the growth of the CNG sector and encourage investment rather than permanently subsidise transport operations.

Coker said CNG infrastructure is currently available in 26 states and is expected to expand as private-sector investment increases.

“Ultimately, you will see the government hand pulling out. And the market forces will determine,” he said.

“But we will just make sure that the poor man is not left behind.”

Staff Conversion, Station Awaiting Approval

Akinola noted that the programme will also provide subsidized CNG vehicle conversion kits to academic staff, allowing them to convert their personal vehicles from petrol to CNG through flexible payment plans instead of paying the full cost upfront.

He added that the offer will also be available to members of the public.

Representing the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of UNILAG, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye, welcomed the initiative and described it as a major step towards reducing transportation costs for students and staff.

Falaiye said the university was pleased to be among the institutions selected for the programme and expressed optimism about its benefits to the campus community.

“For today, it’s a day to sensitise everyone about this conversion project that will help convert petrol engines into compressed natural gas engines and reduce the cost,” he said.

He added that the VC would attend the official commissioning of the project once the facility was ready.

Although the CNG station has been established on the UNILAG campus, it has not yet been commissioned because some regulatory and safety approval processes are still ongoing.

Akinola explained that the facility was ready for operation but required final approval from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) before it could be commissioned.

“We are in the process of finalising approvals with the regulatory NMDPRA, after which this project will be officially commissioned. We are on top of that,” he said.

According to him, the station is expected to be commissioned within the next three to four weeks, while full operations of the transport scheme are expected to begin when students resume from vacation.

Akinola also clarified that the initiative would not displace existing campus transport operators. Instead, their vehicles could be converted to CNG to reduce operating costs and help maintain affordable fares for students.

He added that Femadec Energy, through its subsidiary, Femadec Space and Logistics Services, would participate in the operation of the scheme, with the management structure to be developed in consultation with the university.