Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has inaugurated 20 electric-powered luxury buses for the residents’ daily commuting in Maiduguri metropolis and Jere Local Council of the state.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has inaugurated 20 electric-powered luxury buses for the residents’ daily commuting in Maiduguri metropolis and Jere Local Council of the state.
According to him, the deployment of the air-conditioned buses are part of the administration’s measures to cushion the impact of the recent petrol price hikes on transporters and commuters in Borno.
The buses, which were inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu on December 20, 2025, alongside 3,000 electric bicycles, 500 electric tricycles, and 100 electric vehicles, are aimed at improving commuting within and outside the state. the state.
The roll-out of the buses, which commenced on Friday, April 3, features a fleet of 17 buses with 49 sitting capacity, two 37-seaters, and a 28-seater.
Regarding the buses’ routes, Zulum said: “The buses are being deployed across major routes within Maiduguri metropolis and environs to ease the burden of rising transport costs triggered by the five-week Middle East crisis.
“The fully air-conditioned and energy-efficient vehicles can cover more than 400 kilometres on a single charging.”
He added that the initiative “complements the existing fleets of buses and salon cars earlier procured by this administration to enhance urban commuting of residents.”
The massive deployment of the buses, according to Zulum, will ensure seamless operations, with the establishment of the largest electric vehicle charging terminal in the country, adding that the vehicles’ charging main terminal could charge up to 50 vehicles at a time.
To protect residents from the ripple effects of the global energy crisis, he noted, Borno Express Transport Service (BETS) had been directed to maintain the subsidised rate of N50 a drop.
The intervention, The Guardian observed, has already begun to yield positive results, with noticeable reductions in congestion and improved access to affordable transportation for students, civil servants, traders and other residents.
Commuters have since commended the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful on the tens of thousands of commuters, including pupils, traders and workers in Maiduguri.
Some of the commuters said: “This transportation initiative of the governor is indeed commendable. We are not feeling the impact of the rising transportation costs, as fares remain at N50 per drop. We thank Governor Zulum for the gesture.
“The initiative forms part of Governor Zulum’s effort to promote green energy, modernise transportation system and provide relief to the vulnerable.”
