Sokoto Govt Acquires 7 Buses for N511m, Converts Fleet to CNG

By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi

The Sokoto State Transport Authority (SSTA) has acquired seven new 18-seater Hiace buses for N511 million to expand and modernise its inter-state transport services.

The authority’s General Manager, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, disclosed this on Monday in Sokoto while speaking with journalists on the agency’s ongoing efforts to improve its operations.

Muhammad said the buses were purchased from the authority’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), with each vehicle costing N73 million.

He explained that despite the 18-seat capacity of the buses, SSTA would limit the number of passengers to 16 per trip to provide commuters with greater comfort.

The GM said the buses had already been delivered to Sokoto and would soon be commissioned by Governor Ahmed Aliyu.

He further disclosed that the authority had placed an order for three more buses of the same capacity at a total cost of N219 million.

Muhammad also announced that SSTA had begun converting its existing vehicles from petrol to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to cut fuel expenses and reduce operational costs.

According to him, the conversion programme began with the authority’s “Iyaye Mata” vehicles and had already been completed, with the vehicles now operating on the roads.

He said each vehicle costs N750,000 to convert to CNG, adding that the high cost of petrol had made it increasingly difficult for drivers to operate the vehicles profitably.

Muhammad said the vehicles’ six-cylinder engines consume large quantities of fuel, making petrol operation particularly expensive.

He disclosed that drivers operating the “Iyaye Mata” vehicles currently pay N2,000 daily to the authority for operations between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., while passengers are charged between N150 and N300 per trip based on distance.

He said the fares were part of the state government’s subsidy arrangement aimed at making transportation affordable for residents.

The General Manager added that the authority would extend the CNG conversion programme to its larger buses after completing the exercise on the “Iyaye Mata” vehicles.

Muhammad expressed confidence that the new buses and CNG initiative would help reduce operating expenses, improve service delivery and strengthen SSTA’s position in the transport sector.

He also pledged to continue running the authority with transparency and accountability.

“I will continue to uphold the trust reposed in me by the state government” he said.