The Nigerian government has developed steps to provide aid to its residents over the Christmas season in order to reduce the financial strain connected with holiday vacations. The statement, delivered on Wednesday, includes free train rides and a 50% cut in national public bus costs.
The initiative, according to Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development and head of the inter-ministerial committee on presidential intervention, aims to allow domestic travelers to visit their loved ones and hometowns “without stress and the extra burden imposed by the high cost of transportation around this period.” The move is considered as a gesture to improve citizens’ well-being throughout the holiday season.
The discounted interstate prices and free train journeys, which will be available from December 21 to January 4, are part of a collaborative effort with companies running luxury buses on 22 routes around the country. President Bola Tinubu has given his blessing to this project, which focuses on the populace, as Mr. Alake has noted.
Transport Minister Sa’idu Alkali stated that the government is committed to ensuring that the significant reduction in bus tickets and free train journeys allow “every Nigerian to partake in the joy of the season without the burden of exorbitant transportation costs.” This decision is expected to make holiday travel more accessible and cheap to the general public.
According to local media, Segun Falade, the spokesperson for the National Union of Road Transport Workers, affirmed that bus operators would adhere to the agreed-upon fare subsidies.
This combined effort by the government and transportation partners aims to alleviate financial strain on individuals during what is historically Nigeria’s busiest month for travel, with the highest number of air, road, and railway passengers reported in December.
