Abuja’s Public Transport Takes Leap as New Terminals Target 20,000 Daily Passengers

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Planet Projects Ltd, Mr. Biodun Otunola, has revealed that the newly commissioned Kugbo and Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminals in Abuja have the capacity to serve over 20,000 passengers daily.

Otunola disclosed this on Thursday during the official inauguration of the Kugbo terminal by President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The commissioning was part of events marking Tinubu’s second year in office.

“We can take over 120 buses here, and we’ve designed this place such that it can handle up to 10,000 passengers daily. The same applies to the Mabushi terminal,” Otunola stated.

He explained that both facilities cater to both inter-city and intra-city travel, while a third terminal under construction in the Central Business District will primarily serve city commuters.

On employment, Otunola noted that each terminal would generate over 100 direct jobs, spanning security, ticketing, facility management, and maintenance operations. “Running these terminals is like managing a mini airport. There are control rooms, lifts, escalators, waiting areas, loading bays, and even shopping and cinema spaces,” he said.

According to him, the terminals mark a turning point in Abuja’s transport infrastructure, offering residents a safer, more comfortable alternative to informal transport systems. “This is the first real investment in public transportation in the capital. For once, you don’t have to wait on the road and risk your safety. Here, you can rest, shop, eat, and travel comfortably,” he said.

He commended both President Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for trusting a Nigerian firm to deliver such an ambitious project. “If the government hadn’t believed in us, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to execute this,” Otunola added.

Otunola also supported the government’s decision to hand over terminal operations to private firms for better service efficiency, while urging the development of more terminals in other strategic areas of the city such as Gwagwalada, Kuje, Gwarinpa, Lugbe, Wuse, and Area 1.

Speaking at the event, Minister Wike said the terminals are part of efforts to reform the capital’s transport sector, especially by reducing commuters’ exposure to criminal elements such as “one chance” operators.

President Tinubu, through Akpabio, praised the project as a vital step toward boosting commerce and improving public order in Abuja’s rapidly growing metropolis.

The new bus terminals are expected to greatly ease urban mobility, enhance commuter safety, and contribute to job creation in the FCT.