- Amalgamated Deploys 15 CNG Buses, Targets 50-Bus Fleet By Year-End
Lagos State’s drive to modernise public transportation and reduce reliance on conventional fossil fuels has entered a new phase with the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses by Amalgamated Megacity Transport Services Limited.
The investment marks a significant step in the implementation of the Lagos State Bus Industry Transition Programme (BITP), which encourages private transport operators to invest in modern, high-capacity buses and adopt cleaner energy technologies.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, described the investment as a demonstration of private-sector confidence in the state’s transport reforms and its ambition to build a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable public transport system.
Osiyemi said the state’s transportation agenda extended beyond road transport to include rail services, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Quality Bus Corridors, transport interchanges and waterways, all designed to create an integrated, multimodal network for residents.
He explained that CNG was an important transitional technology in Lagos’ clean-mobility strategy, rather than its ultimate destination.
According to him, the state’s long-term ambition is to move progressively from conventional fossil-fuel-powered transport to low-emission and, ultimately, zero-emission mobility, particularly through electric buses and other emerging technologies.
The approach is intended to ensure that buses, rail, waterways and electric mobility complement one another, expand commuters’ travel options, reduce emissions and lower dependence on conventional fossil fuels.
Speaking at the launch, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abimbola Akinajo, disclosed that Amalgamated had committed to acquiring 50 CNG buses, with 15 already delivered and the remaining units expected before the end of 2026.
Akinajo said the operator had been engaged from the outset with the expectation that private transport companies would take greater responsibility for acquiring and renewing their fleets, with particular emphasis on cleaner technologies such as CNG and electric vehicles.
“This is the direction we expect the industry to go,” she said, stressing the need for operators to become active investors in the future of public transportation rather than relying solely on government-provided fleets.
She said the deployment showed that the transition to cleaner mobility was moving beyond government policy and becoming an increasingly visible part of the Lagos transport industry.
The investment comes as population growth, expanding economic activity and rising travel demand continue to put pressure on Lagos’ public transport infrastructure.
Akinajo disclosed that Lagos requires approximately 15,000 high-capacity buses, in addition to rail and water transport services, to meet the state’s growing mobility needs.
She said achieving that target would require sustained collaboration between the government and private-sector operators, given the scale of investment needed to expand capacity and improve service delivery.
LAMATA, she added, remained committed to creating an enabling environment for transport operators to invest, innovate and provide better services to commuters.
The authority considers private-sector participation essential to meeting Lagos’ transportation needs, as the government seeks to expand the fleet while advancing cleaner and more efficient mobility options.
The deployment of Amalgamated’s CNG buses therefore represents more than an addition to the state’s public transport fleet. It signals a gradual shift towards a bus industry in which private operators assume a greater role in fleet investment, modernisation and the delivery of sustainable transport services.
