The Nigerian government announces free train rides and a 50% reduction in public bus fares nationwide during the festive season to alleviate financial strain for travelers, announced Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Alake, who also heads the inter-ministerial committee on presidential intervention, stated that the initiative aims to enable domestic travelers to visit family and hometowns “without stress and the extra burden imposed by the high cost of transport around this period.”
Commencing from Thursday until January 4, the discounted inter-state fares and complimentary train rides were sanctioned by President Bola Tinubu, in collaboration with luxury bus companies operating across 22 routes nationwide.
However, the discounted fares and free train rides do not encompass air transportation, as the president’s focus, according to Alake, is “the masses.”
Transport Minister Sa’idu Alkali emphasized that these reductions seek to ensure that “every Nigerian can partake in the joy of the season without the burden of exorbitant transportation costs”.
Segun Falade, the spokesperson for the National Union of Road Transport Workers, confirmed that bus operators will implement the fare subsidy as agreed, as reported by local media.
December traditionally marks the peak travel period in Nigeria, witnessing a surge in air, road transport, and railway passengers.
Source-BBC
