Kehinde Fajobi
The federal government has introduced a 50 percent discount on road travel fares for Nigerians during the yuletide season to ease transportation costs.
The initiative follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on Thursday, 19 December 2024, between the federal government and road transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Association of Luxurious Buses of Nigeria (ALBON), and God is Good Motors (GIGM).
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Adeleye Adeoye, signed the agreement on behalf of the government.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Transportation, “To commence the 2024 yuletide road transportation, where passengers will board buses to their destinations for only 50% of fares as declared by President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Adeleye Adeoye, signed an MoU with transport leaders.”
The Ministry added that the measure aligns with President Tinubu’s directive to provide transportation palliatives for Nigerians during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
It also announced that details of additional palliatives for both road and rail travel will be unveiled soon.
The initiative is expected to cover routes from Abuja and Lagos to other parts of the country, ensuring affordable travel for Nigerians heading home for the festivities.