By Monsurudeen Olowoopejo
As part of measures to reduce the huge dependant on Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), the Lagos State Government concluded plans to partner a private firm, to deploy Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered mass transit buses across the state.
It said that the plan between both the government and the private firm is to deploy the 2,000 CNG buses in phases, to reduce carbon emissions on Lagos roads.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Segun Osiyemi, who disclosed this on Tuesday while responding to newsmen questions during the 2024 ministerial press briefing in Ikeja, stressed that the initiative is a Public, Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.
Osiyemi disclosed that the buses would be deployed in phases of 1,000 set, to ply the Lagos roads.
He said: “Currently, we are speaking with an investor that will come in with CNG buses and the plan is to bring in 2,000 buses to ply major roads in the state. And we expect that this should come into the state in phases”.
The commissioner noted that the plan was to deploy the CNG buses on major roads “before the end of the year”.
Osiyemi added that a private firm has also concluded plans to deploy over 200 electric vehicles for commercial purposes in the state.
According to the commissioner, “A private firm has concluded plans to deploy 231 electric commercial vehicles in Lagos”.
The Commissioner stressed that the plan is in compliance with the global standards on reduction of vehicles emissions.