Over 163,000 Passengers Benefited From Subsidized Inter-State Trips: Minister Alake

More than 163,000 people have benefited from the federal government's subsidized inter-state trips during the festive period, Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake says.

Kehinde Bamigbetan, special advisor to the minister, disclosed the details in a progress report Monday.

President Bola Tinubu last month approved a 50% reduction in public transport fares and announced free train services across the country for the festive season.

Alake, who is also the chairman of the Committee on the Implementation of the End of Year Transportation Subsidy Program, noted that the passengers saved N21,500 and N15,000 on trips from Lagos to Abuja and Onisha respectively.

The End of Year Transportation Subsidy Program, which will end on Thursday, included free railway transportation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a 50% subsidy on transport fares for passengers traveling on 30 routes serviced by bus operators under the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria.

"Between December 21 and December 31, 2023, figures available show that the NRC [Nigerian Railway Corporation] conveyed 71,000 passengers, while buses operating under the auspices of ALBON carried 77,122 passengers, and 652 bus trips originating travels from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766," Alake said in a statement, InsideBusiness reported.

"This means no fewer than 163,878 passengers benefitted from the Presidential Yuletide Transportation Subsidy in the first 10 days of the program. Secondly, while train-bound passengers enjoyed total free service, road travelers paid only 50% of the fares," he added. "The subsidies depended on the fares ranging from a saving of N21,500 on a Lagos-Abuja road trip fare of N43,000 and N15,000 on a Lagos–Onisha bus fare of N30,000."

The minister urged people to use the same services to return to their bases before Thursday.

Tinubu last month said the federal government has granted waivers to operators in the air, road and rail transportation systems to counter high transportation costs faced by travelers during the festive season.

During a meeting with members of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN) on Dec. 18, Tinubu said his administration will remain transparent and do its best to create a good economic environment for Nigerians. He also said steps are being taken to reduce the price of liquefied petroleum gas.

Nigeria is currently struggling with high fuel and food prices after the president announced a subsidy removal last May.

Alfred Martins, the Catholic archbishop of Lagos, urged the federal and other state governments earlier this week to make the lives of Nigerians easier in the new year, given the hardships people had to endure last year in the form of fuel subsidy removal and demonetization.