The Oyo State Government has announced that no fewer than 5.88 million passengers have benefitted from its subsidised transport scheme between January and July 2025, under the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative.

The scheme, introduced to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal, has significantly eased the cost of transportation across the state, especially for vulnerable groups such as students, the elderly, pensioners, and persons living with disabilities.

According to the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Transport, Hon. Anuoluwapo Adesina, the government has spent ₦686 million so far in 2025 to maintain the subsidised fare regime. Since the inception of the SAfER Transport programme in August 2023, total spending has reached ₦2.151 billion.

Investment Breakdown:

₦541 million (Aug – Dec 2023): Supported 50% fare subsidies for up to 30,000 daily passengers.

₦924 million in 2024: Helped transport nearly 10 million passengers.

₦686 million in 2025 (as of July): Facilitated movement for nearly 5.9 million passengers.

The scheme is currently operational across 39 intra-city routes and 5 inter-city routes, serviced by 55 buses and 10 inter-city coaches, respectively. In addition, 30 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, provided by the Federal Government, have been deployed to further expand capacity and reduce operational costs.

Governor Makinde’s administration has also launched a new Ibadan–Abuja route under the scheme, with plans underway to open Lagos–Abuja and Ibadan–Kwara routes in the coming months.

“This initiative remains a key pillar in our administration’s commitment to economic relief and social inclusion,” Adesina stated. “We are determined to ensure that no citizen is left behind due to rising transportation costs.”

The SAfER initiative, which also includes support in agriculture, food relief, and healthcare, continues to gain recognition as one of the most comprehensive state-level responses to current economic challenges in Nigeria.