Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced that the Federal Government will roll out 10,000 electric tricycles in August 2026 as part of efforts to improve public transportation and strengthen Nigeria’s logistics chain.
Shettima made the disclosure on Tuesday during a meeting with Transporters For Tinubu/Shettima 2027 at the State House, Abuja.
He said the tricycles would be distributed through the North East Development Commission (NEDC) for use across the North East and other parts of the country, adding that President Bola Tinubu had approved the expansion of the initiative to other regional development commissions nationwide.
“The President has approved the replication of the initiative in other parts of the country by the various regional development commissions,” Shettima said.
“Our vision is an unbroken logistics chain, where a container moves from a deep-sea port to a rail wagon, then to a CNG-powered truck and then to a trader in Ariaria Market or Maiduguri, without delay or policy failure.”
The Vice President said the programme is part of a broader transport reform agenda focused on reducing the cost of movement, improving efficiency at ports, and enhancing connectivity across key economic sectors.
He explained that the administration is also prioritising the expansion of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) adoption as a cheaper and cleaner alternative for transport operators, particularly heavy-duty vehicles.
Shettima said the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative has already demonstrated significant cost savings for transporters, noting that early scepticism about the policy had been disproved.
“We said CNG could cut fuel costs by over 60 percent and many called it fantasy. Today, heavy-duty trucks run on Nigerian gas, proving sceptics wrong and returning money to your pockets,” he said.
He also highlighted ongoing reforms in the maritime sector, including the operationalisation of the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the development of the National Single Window system, aimed at reducing delays and improving efficiency in cargo clearance.
According to him, these reforms are intended to position Nigerian ports to compete more effectively with global standards.
Shettima assured transport operators of continued government support through improved infrastructure, better policy coordination and enhanced working conditions.
Technical Adviser to the Vice President on Transportation, Logistics and Innovation, Segun Obayendo, said transport sector unions had expressed support for the administration’s reform agenda and its 2027 political direction.
Leaders of transport unions, including representatives of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria, also commended the government for ongoing engagement with stakeholders and expressed optimism about continued reforms.
The Federal Government said the electric tricycle rollout is part of its broader strategy to modernise transport systems, reduce costs, and improve national productivity through integrated logistics development.
