N50 per trip – Borno tackles ‘fuel price hike hardship’ with electric buses

By Hamza Suleiman

The Borno Government has deployed 20 electric buses made up of 17 buses with a seating capacity of 49, two 37-seaters, and one 28-seater for public transportation as part of measures to cushion the impact of rising petrol prices on the people of the state.

Mr Dauda Illiya, the spokesperson to Gov. Babagana Zulum announced this on Thursday in Maiduguri.

According to him, the fully air-conditioned and energy-efficient vehicles could cover over 400km on a single charge.

According to him, the initiative formed part of a broader intervention earlier inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu on Dec. 20, 2025, which also included 3,000 electric bicycles, 500 electric tricycles and 100 electric vehicles to improve transportation services across the state.

He said the rollout commenced on April 3 and the buses are currently being deployed across major routes within Maiduguri metropolis, the Borno State capital and its environs to ease transportation challenges faced by commuters.

The Borno governor spokesperson added that to ensure seamless operations, the Zulum has also established the largest electric vehicle charging terminal in the country, with the capacity to charge up to 50 vehicles at a time.

He added that the governor had directed the Borno Express Transport Service to maintain a subsidized fare of N50 per trip to shield residents from the effects of rising fuel costs.

Illiya noted that the intervention had already begun to yield positive results, with reduced congestion and improved access to affordable transportation for residents.

He said commuters had commended the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful.

According to him, the deployment is part of the state government’s efforts to promote green energy, modernise the transportation system and provide relief to the vulnerable.

(NAN)