Abia State Government (ABSG) has announced the successful transition of its mass transit and urban transportation initiative – the free Green Shuttle into a commercial fare-paying service.
Okey Kanu, State’s Commissioner for Information, announced this on Monday, at Government House Umuahia, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
He recalled that the transition commenced on March 1, 2026, with a 50% fare subsidy provided by the State Government.
“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.”The commercialisation of the mass transit scheme, with e-ticketing permits, to Abia Connect Card, obtaining the Abia State Social Insurance Number becomes a conditional precedent for obtaining the Abia Connect Card,” Kanu stated.
Kanu noted that, with the launch of the commercial service, Abia State Ministry of Transport, with other State Government Agencies, such as the Harmonised Task Force, Homeland Security, and the Abia State Road Traffic Management Agency, had been engaging all the necessary stakeholders in the State’s transport ecosystem in carrying out joint sensitisation and enforcement exercises, aimed at helping commuters at the various bus stops and bus shelters spread between Umuahia and Aba.
He said that, to help commuters, ABSSIN enumerators had been posted to various bus shelters and designated areas to help register commuters.
“Similarly, the 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.
“The total number of bus shelters so far is 70. Umuahia has 30 bus shelters, while Aba has 40 bus shelters. The 30 in Umuahia are operational, while in Aba, 38 are operational, while two will soon be completed for operations,” Kanu stated.
He further noted that about 202,601 passengers had enjoyed the mass transit bus service, from the rollout date of December 24, 2025 to March 8, 2026.
