Lagos Phases Out Diesel Buses, Targets Fully Electric Regulated Fleet

The Lagos State Government has stopped the admission of new diesel-powered buses into its regulated public transport system as it moves towards cleaner and more efficient transportation.The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abimbola Akinajo, disclosed this while speaking with journalists during the handover of additional high-capacity CNG buses under the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles.

Akinajo said the policy took effect at the beginning of 2026, directing operators introducing new buses into the regulated system to use either compressed natural gas (CNG) or electric vehicles. Existing diesel buses will be progressively replaced as Lagos works towards an entirely electric regulated fleet. Akinajo also said the shift to CNG and electric buses was helping operators manage rising fuel costs without transferring the full burden to commuters. She noted that diesel prices had increased from about N950 per litre at the beginning of the year to between N1,950 and N2,100, depending on the source.According to her, regulated public transport fares have remained unchanged partly because the lower operating costs of CNG-powered buses have helped cushion the impact of higher fuel prices. LAMATA had about 150 CNG buses before receiving the latest addition, alongside high- and medium-capacity electric buses.

The latest intervention adds more CNG buses to the regulated fleet, with some expected to be deployed along high-demand routes such as the Ikorodu–Tafawa Balewa Square corridor. LAMATA is also working with private-sector partners to strengthen CNG supply and expand refuelling infrastructure across the state.The development is part of a broader clean-transport strategy under the Lagos State Transport Policy, which promotes gas and electricity as alternatives to conventional diesel-powered public transport. The policy also targets cleaner propulsion for BRT operations and encourages the acquisition of cleaner buses by public and private operators.

By Oshuniran Sheriff Ola