BY GORDI UDEAJAH
The hitherto free Abia State Government (ABSG) transport service effected with Electric Buses and tagged Green Shuttle, has gone commercial with effect from March 2026.
Under its commercial status, the government still subsidizes it as members of the public pay about half of what the private commercial transporters charge.
The state Information Commissioner Prince Okey Kanu while announcing the takeoff of the now commercialized Green Shuttle transport service to journalists, said that the subsidy applies to all inter- and intra-city routes currently being operated under the bus service scheme.
“The transition marks a critical step towards ensuring the long-term sustainability and operational efficiency of the scheme.
“With the commercialisation of the mass transit scheme, with e-ticketing permits, to Abia Connect Card, obtaining the Abia State Social Insurance Number ( ABSSIN ) becomes a conditional precedent for obtaining the Abia Connect Card,”.
Commissioner Kanu said that with the launch of the commercial service, the State Ministry of Transport, and other government agencies, comprising ; the Harmonised Task Force, Homeland Security, and the State Road Traffic Management Agency, have been engaging all the necessary stakeholders in the state’s transport ecosystem, and been carrying out joint sensitization and enforcement exercises towards assisting commuters at the various bus stops and bus shelters spread between Umuahia and Aba, etc
He also explained that, to so assist commuters, the ABSSIN enumerators have been posted to various bus shelters and designated areas to help register commuters.
“Similarly, that Touch and Pay agents that upload funds into the Abia Connect Cards have been deployed to various bus shelters and designated areas in Aba and Umuahia”.
He announced that the tota of 70 bus shelters, 30 in Umuahia, the state capital, 40 in Aba, even as more will soon be completed.
On the number of passengers that have so far been transported in the Shuttle Buses between 24th December 2025 and 8th March, 2026 Commissioner Kanu put the total number at 202,601.
The Green Shuttle Bus Service had commenced on free fare paying arrangement towards the end of last year, ( 2025 ) on pilot basis, and now advanced to subsidized fare-paying from March, 2026.
