FG unveils 100 electric buses for civil servants

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The Federal Government has commissioned 100 electric buses under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme to ease transportation challenges for federal civil servants and improve workers’ welfare.

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The buses were launched on Wednesday at Eagle Square, Abuja, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, describing the initiative as a major milestone in efforts to improve the welfare of civil servants.

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The first phase of the programme comprises 37 of the 100 buses approved under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme, as reported by Vanguard.

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Walson-Jack described the commissioning as her “parting gift” to federal civil servants, coming less than 24 hours before the end of her tenure as Head of the Civil Service.

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“What we have here is 37 buses, being the first instalment of the 100 Electric Buses,” she said.

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She said transportation had a significant impact on workers’ finances, safety, punctuality and productivity, adding that affordable and reliable transportation would help reduce the burden on civil servants.

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“For many Civil Servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality, and ultimately their productivity,” she said.

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According to her, the intervention would enable workers to save money, reduce commuting risks and arrive at work with more energy to deliver quality public service.

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The HoS disclosed that operations would begin with a pilot phase on selected routes before a full rollout, adding that the buses would also be deployed to Federal Secretariats across the states.

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“A Special Purpose Vehicle has been established to ensure their proper management, maintenance and long-term sustainability,” she said.

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Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, described the project as more than a transportation intervention, saying it combined workers’ welfare, productivity, industrialisation and technology.

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He said each of the 100 electric buses could accommodate up to 200 passengers and travel a minimum of 200 kilometres on a full charge.

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Also, Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Olu Osanipin, in a statement on his X handle, said the “first deployment marks the beginning of a phased rollout, with the full complement of 100 electric buses expected to be deployed by December 2026.”

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Enoh commended NADDC and other stakeholders involved in the project, urging local manufacturers to invest in factories, deepen local content and produce globally competitive products.

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He said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that its economic reforms translated into industries, jobs, infrastructure and improved living standards for Nigerians.

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