NEWS
Abia State Govt to Fully Digitise Green Shuttle Mass Transit Scheme as Electronic Ticketing Takes Centre Stage After Free-Ride Pilot
The Abia State Government has announced a decisive transition of the State’s Green Shuttle Mass Transit Scheme to a fully Electronic Ticketing System at the conclusion of its ongoing free-ride pilot phase. The system will feature contactless smart cards, as well as other digital payment and monitoring components, as the programme moves into full commercial operations.
The disclosure was made by the honourable Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, while briefing journalists on the outcomes of this week’s State Executive Council Meeting held on Tuesday and presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu revealed that the Electronic Ticketing System would feature “counterless Smart Cards, Prepaid and pay-as-you-go options, real-time transaction recording and a centralised revenue monitoring dashboard.”
He described the digital ticketing architecture as a major departure from traditional cash-based public transport operations, explaining that the innovation will eliminate cash handling and the use of conductors, while improving transparency, efficiency, and accountability in the management of the mass transit system.
According to the Commissioner, the ongoing free ride component of the scheme will continue until the end of February, noting that the period is critical for collecting robust operational data that will guide route optimisation ahead of the commencement of full commercial operations.
He explained that once fares are introduced, they will be subsidised and strictly regulated by the government, with pricing determined by distance and benchmarked against prevailing market rates for tricycles and mini-buses.
Prince Kanu further clarified that the Abia State Green Shuttle Mass Transit Scheme is not designed to displace existing transport operators, but rather to coexist with tricycle and mini-bus services across the state.
Providing insight into the performance of the pilot programme, the Commissioner stated that the scheme, which commenced on 24 December 2025, has already recorded impressive patronage from commuters.
According to him, “Between the 24th of December and the 29th of January, the scheme has operated for 497 bus days and transported “a total of 106,116 passengers over a total distance of 74,796.6 km.
“On the average, 14 buses were deployed daily, and each carried approximately 3,034 passengers daily.
“The pilot rollout has offered the bus operators an idea on the intra city and intercity mobility demands for the bus service.
“The free bus rides, which remove fare barriers, allow demand to be driven primarily by service availability and operational efficiency. The intracity and intercity free rides will continue to the end of February to enable the operators to gather more commuter data and route demands that will go into further planning for the full commencement of the bus services scheme.
“Upon the full commencement of the Mass Transit Services, Abians will be expected to pay a token in order that the Mass Transit scheme is sustained.
“The pricing model will be based on analysis of existing market fares, as involving KeKe and mini-buses. It will also be based on distance rather than based on pricing, and a government-backed fare moderation. There will be electronic ticketing that will regulate cash handling and conductors.
“The scheme will offer commuters options to choose from, in terms of using either the mass transit buses or the Keke and mini-bus services that already exist.
“The whole aim is to totally transform the urban mass transit infrastructure industry while offering Abians a world-class experience in terms of the state-of-the-art bus transit services that will ensure affordability, comfort, and eco-friendly mass transit bus experience,” he said.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport, Dr. Obioma Reuben Nwaogbe, explained that extensive public sensitization is ongoing to prepare residents for the transition to digital ticketing, assuring that special assistance will be provided for the elderly and non-digitally savvy members of the public.
Dr. Nwaogbe added that commuters would be able to load funds through accredited vendors located at bus shelters, and reiterated that the Green Shuttle buses will operate alongside tricycle and mini-bus services, which he described as feeder or paratransit systems that co
mplement the mass transit network.